Annual homeless survey shows decrease

Spokane’s homeless population dropped 10 percent over the last year, according to the most recent Point-in-Time homeless count. The one-night count was done on Jan. 29 and counted 1,033 people, ranging from one-month- to 83-years old. The number of homeless families with children dropped 17 percent. The number of unsheltered persons dropped 15 percent. Despite the overall decrease, the chronically homeless population increased from 151 in 2014 to 198 this year. The chronically homeless are those who’ve been without housing for more than a year or at least four times in three years. Additionally the number of homeless veterans, a population the city specifically focused on this year, increased by 19 percent to 101.