Charlotte homelessness is on the rise
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Photo: Courtesy of Mecklenburg County
Each January, volunteers go out across Charlotte and count the number of people living on the streets, in cars, parks and tents.
Why it matters: This year's point-in-time survey shows that homelessness is rising in Charlotte, underscoring a national trend. With 444 people identified as unsheltered, it was the highest count since 2010 and more than double the total from 2020, just before the pandemic.
By the numbers: Those 444 people represent a 16% increase from last year, with 116 new people identified.
- Four families had children, the highest number of unsheltered households with minors ever recorded during the local point-in-time count.
- The survey is widely considered an "undercount" due to the difficulty of finding unsheltered people.
Zoom out: According to Mecklenburg County's tally of people across homeless programs, 2,415 men, women and children were experiencing homelessness as of April 30.
- 164 are veterans.
- 147 are unaccompanied youth.
- 75% are Black/African American, representing a disproportionately high figure.
- 3% are Hispanic/Latino, although that demographic makes up only 14% of the county population.
The big picture: Unsheltered homelessness is rising at record levels nationally due to rising rents, a lack of affordable housing, gentrification and other issues prevalent in Charlotte.
What they're doing: Mecklenburg County's budget this year allocates $14.3 million for more than 20 nonprofits that address homelessness and housing, such as the Salvation Army, Roof Above and United Way of Greater Charlotte.