Indicator : Homelessness

Rationale: This indicator deals with one of the most basic human needs – a safe, stable place to live.

Year 1990 2,599 1991 2,915 1992 3,280 1993 3,738 1994 4,342 1995 4,614 1996 4,834 1997 5,351 1998 5,597 1999 5,688 2000 6,381 2001 6,724

Data source: Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning

Year 1990 1,053 1991 1,121 1992 1,201 1993 1,420 1994 1,377 1995 1,283 1996 1,230 1997 1,345 1998 1,327 1999 1,489 2000 1,519 2001 1,748

Data source: Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning

Year 1990 689 1991 781 1992 887 1993 992 1994 1,137 1995 1,288 1996 1,487 1997 1,589 1998 1,500 1999 1,490 2000 1,706 2001 1,766

Data source: Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning

Year 1990 857 1991 1,013 1992 1,193 1993 1,326 1994 1,828 1995 2,043 1996 2,117 1997 2,417 1998 2,459 1999 2,395 2000 2,785 2001 2,723

Data source: Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning

Year 1998 312 1999 313 2000 371 2001 488

Data source: Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning

Year 1990 263 1991 252 1992 446 1993 530 1994 521 1995 551 1996 664 1997 559 1998 635 1999 841 2000 1,052 2001 1,041

Data source: Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning

Year 1990 82 1991 85 1992 88 1993 110 1994 79 1995 89 1996 65 1997 78 1998 137 1999 158 2000 283 2001 207

Data source: Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning

Year 1990 83 1991 73 1992 142 1993 164 1994 165 1995 203 1996 230 1997 194 1998 163 1999 236 2000 305 2001 310

Data source: Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning

Year 1990 98 1991 95 1992 216 1993 256 1994 278 1995 259 1996 370 1997 288 1998 245 1999 346 2000 398 2001 453

Data source: Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning

Year 1998 90 1999 101 2000 67 2001 71

Data source: Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning

About this indicator: The number of people in Minnesota homeless shelters, and the number turned away for lack of space, has increased significantly since 1990. An estimated 6,700 Minnesotans were in shelters on an average night in 2001, an increase of 158 percent since 1990, when about 2,600 were using homeless shelters. These numbers do not include people who live on the streets or in other “unlivable” areas, such as in cars, under bridges or in abandoned buildings. Of those using shelters in 2001, about 40 percent were children and approximately 7 percent were unaccompanied youth. The number of children in shelters more than tripled between 1990 and 2001. (Unaccompanied youth were not counted before 1999.)

Another 1,041 people were turned away from shelters on an average night in 2001 due to lack of space, a four-fold increase since 1990. Of those, 43 percent were children and about 7 percent were unaccompanied youth. In 1990, approximately 263 people were turned away per night, 37 percent of them children.

Data reported here is based on the average of four one-night surveys, one each season, covering more than 350 shelters, transitional housing programs, and agencies providing motel vouchers.

Things to think about: According to a Wilder Research Center survey in October 2000, 38 percent of homeless adults in Minnesota have a serious mental illness such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or major depression. Forty-one percent of homeless men and 22 percent of women have chemical dependency problems. The survey found that 41 percent of homeless adults are working, and 26 percent work full time. However, many earn less than $10 per hour, not enough to afford adequate housing. Other reasons for homelessness include eviction from former housing, credit problems, criminal background, relationship problems, violence in the neighborhood or abuse. The Wilder survey also found that 47 percent of homeless adults in Minnesota are African American, compared to 34 percent who are White.

Technical notes: Homeless shelter population counts are conducted by the Department of Children, Families & Learning in February, May, August and November, either on the last Tuesday or Thursday of the month. The Wilder Research Center conducted the Minnesota statewide survey of people without permanent shelter on the night of October 26, 2000. Fifty-three percent of the known homeless adult population participated in the survey.

Sources:

• Department of Children, Families & Learning, Office of Economic Opportunity, Quarterly Shelter Survey, cfl.state.mn.us/OEO/qss.htm
• Wilder Research Center, Minnesota Statewide Survey of People Without Permanent Shelter, www.wilder.org/research
• U.S. Bureau of the Census, www.census.gov/prod/2001pubs/censr 01-2.pdf

Related indicators:

• Nearby support
• Welfare to work
• Food shelf use

Other related indicators:

• Minnesotans receiving public child care subsidies (Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning, http://cfl.state.mn.us)
• Minnesotans enrolled in MinnesotaCare, Medical Assistance and related health care programs (Minnesota Department of Human Services, www.dhs.state.mn.us)