In 2009, there were about 1,624 homeless men, women and children on the streets of Gainesville.
But according to a census conducted by the Alachua County Coalition for the Homeless and Hungry, that number has decreased to about 1,300.
“To see even a slight decrease in homelessness in the current economy tells us that area service providers are doing a better and better job helping people get back into housing as quickly as possible,” said Jon DeCarmine, the coalition’s executive director.
This year, the coalition covered areas within a 53-block radius of downtown Gainesville.
But local homeless advocate Pat Fitzpatrick was skeptical.
He said he doubts the number of homeless people in Alachua County has decreased.
“I’d actually say there’s more,” Fitzpatrick said. “But homeless people are told to scatter and hide. It’s hard to find them.”
DeCarmine isn’t sure what adjustments the coalition will have to make this year to reflect the results, but he said homelessness cannot solely be fixed by giving people jobs.
The problem, he said, has more to do with wages.
“The minimum wage is not nearly enough for people to support a home and lifestyle,” DeCarmine said. “We’re talking about broad systematic changes we’ll have to make.”
