There are more homeless people on the streets of Palm Beach County this year than in 2023, a survey found.
On Jan. 25 and Jan. 26, county staff and volunteers conducted the annual Palm Beach County Homeless Point-in-Time Count, identifying 2,126 individuals and families as homeless. In 2023, the number was 1,855, creating a nearly 15% increase.
Veteran and family homelessness is on a slight decline, but the overall count is not, despite the county’s Community Services Department and Homeless and Housing Alliance having spent more than $120 million on homeless prevention services since 2020.
Some of funds have gone toward expanding temporary shelter and hotel capacity and improving collaboration with local housing authorities.
On Jan. 29, a new 66-bed Housing Resource Center opened in Lake Worth Beach, providing interim shelter for people and families. Other transitional housing will be offered with 17 cottage homes, essentially a rather small home, through a collaboration between the county and the West Palm Beach Housing Authority.
“We know that our work is not over, which is why we use the PIT count numbers to make data-driven decisions on how to provide essential services to the areas most in need,” said Wendy Tippett, the county’s Community Services Department Human Services and Community Action Director, in a statement.
