Homelessness continues to climb in Minnesota

Posted at 10:45 AM on June 15, 2011 by Michael Olson (1 Comments)
Filed under: Around MN

Homelessness rose last year in Minnesota by 2 percent. Given the negative trajectory of the economy, the state of the housing market and the cost of consumer goods the news of an increase isn't surprising. Wisconsin saw a slight decline. According to the Saint Cloud Times, Minnesota's homeless population is up 9 percent since 2007.

Across the nation there is an increase in homelessness in rural areas and among veterans.

"We've seen a decline in the annual number of people using homeless shelters in principal cities of about 17 percent since 2007," HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan said. "One the other hand, we've seen a significant increase in the number of people using homeless shelters in suburban and rural areas -- an increase of 57 percent."

Donovan said HUD is targeting rural homelessness by giving $16.4 million to 87 programs it had not previously funded.

Efforts also are being focused on homelessness among veterans, more than 40 percent of whom are from rural communities, Donovan said.

"It is a national tragedy that veterans in this country are 50 percent more likely to be homeless than the average person," he said. "We do see a significant level of homelessness among recently returned veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan."

In a national context the changes in Minnesota and Wisconsin are considered to be stable.

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