Homeless Report Indicates Rise in Wildomar Transient Population

Riverside County's homeless population has decreased by more than 30 percent in the last two years and county officials say it's due in part to local jurisdictions' focus to "rapidly re-house." 

Overall, the county number of homeless decreased by a total of 1,343 from 2011's count of 4,321, officials with the Riverside County Department of Public Social Services announced on Monday in the Riverside County 2013 Homeless Count and Subpopulation Survey.

The total number of 2,978 comes with the results of the 2013 "point in time" homeless count which was conducted in every city and unincorporated area within Riverside County between the hours of 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. on January 23.  County officials have conducted the bi-annual survey since 2005, as required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to obtain federal housing dollars.

For the last three years, the county has received more than $20 million in funding, awarded to more than a dozen local agencies who serve the homeless, based on the results in the survey, according to the report.

"The report said a strengthened network of providers and increased funding that has focused on preventing homelessness and helping individuals and families who are homeless become 'rapidly re‑housed' through temporary, one‑time assistance are factors that have attributed to the decrease," said Jill Kowalski, homeless programs unit manager for the county.  "This network, called the County of Riverside Continuum of Care, is a collaborative of local cities, the county, nonprofit organizations, faith-based and other community-based organizations that work together to help eliminate homelessness."

Locally, not all the homeless data declined.  In fact, Wildomar was one of only nine communities that reported an increase in the transient population.

Wildomar has seen an increase in its homeless count in most of the audits conducted by the county, save for one sharp drop in 2011.  In 2007, 5 people were counted; in 2009, 36 were counted; in 2011 14 were counted; and in 2013 18 were counted, according to data provided to Patch.

Lake Elsinore has fluctuated its count greatly.  Back in 2007, 115 total people were counted; in 2009, 68 were counted; in 2011, 113 were counted, and in 2013, 92 were counted.

Countywide, of the 2,978 total homeless population, 1,888 were found "unsheltered," or living on the streets, in abandoned buildings, beneath freeway overpasses and in transient camps.  The remaining 1,090 were housed in some sort of shelter, according to the survey results. 

Here is the breakdown for Lake Elsinore, which had a total number of 91 unsheltered adults. 

Chronically Homeless Individuals

• 43% or 39 unsheltered adults were Chronically Homeless Individuals.*

• There were no Chronically Homeless Families.**

• 3% or 3 unsheltered adults were African American/Black;
• 9% or 8 unsheltered adults were American Indian/Alaskan Native;
• 1% or 1 unsheltered adult was Asian/Pacific Islander;
• 10% or 9 unsheltered adults were Hispanic/Latino;
• 77% or 70 unsheltered adults were White.

• 77% or 70 unsheltered adults were men;
• 23% or 21 unsheltered adults were women.

• 1% or 1 unsheltered adult had one child which made up one unsheltered family; 
• 99% or 90 unsheltered adults were single.

• 26% or 24 unsheltered adults had a chronic illness such as diabetes, heart trouble, high blood pressure, seizures, hepatitis, respiratory problems, epilepsy, tuberculosis, or arthritis.

• 15% or 14 unsheltered adults had a developmental disability.

• 0% or 0 unsheltered adults had been diagnosed with AIDS or had tested positive for HIV.

• 30% or 15 unsheltered adults had a mental health problem.

• 24% or 22 unsheltered adults had a physical disability.

• 9% or 8 unsheltered adults were released from a correctional institution such as a jail or prison after serving a court-ordered sentence during the past 12 months;
• 13% or 1 of the 8 unsheltered adults were provided with information such as housing, social services, transportation, etc. before their release.

• 13% or 12 unsheltered adults were age 62+.

• 18% or 16 unsheltered adults had a problem with drugs or alcohol.

• 13% or 12 unsheltered adults served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces or called into active duty as a member of the National Guard or as a Reservist;
• 13% or 12 unsheltered men served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces or called into active duty as a member of the National Guard or as a Reservist;
• 0 or 0 unsheltered women served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces or called into active duty as a member of the National Guard or as a Reservist.

• 13% or 12 unsheltered adults had been a victim of domestic or intimate partner violence.

• 16% or 15 unsheltered adults were youth age 18 to 24;
• 0% or 0 persons were unaccompanied youth under age 18.
  

• 44% or 8 unsheltered adults were Chronically Homeless Individuals.*

• There were no Chronically Homeless Families.**

• 0% or 0 unsheltered adults were African American/Black;
• 0% or 0 unsheltered adults were American Indian/Alaskan Native;
• 0% or 0 unsheltered adult was Asian/Pacific Islander;
• 36% or 6 unsheltered adults were Hispanic/Latino;
• 64% or 12 unsheltered adults were White.

• 83% or 15 unsheltered adults were men;
• 17% or 3 unsheltered adults were women.

• 0% or 0 unsheltered adults had children;
• 100% or 18 unsheltered adults were single.

• 33% or 6 unsheltered adults had a chronic illness such as diabetes, heart trouble, high blood pressure, seizures, hepatitis, respiratory problems, epilepsy, tuberculosis, or arthritis.
  

• 6% or 1 unsheltered adult had a developmental disability.

• 6% or 1 unsheltered adult had been diagnosed with AIDS or had tested positive for HIV.

• 28% or 5 unsheltered adults had a mental health problem.

• 39% or 7 unsheltered adults had a physical disability.

• 0% or 0 unsheltered adults were released from a correctional institution such as a jail or prison after serving a court-ordered sentence during the past 12 months.

• 6% or 1 unsheltered adult was age 62+.

• 67% or 12 unsheltered adults had a problem with drugs or alcohol.

• 28% or 5 unsheltered adults served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces or called into active duty as a member of the National Guard or as a Reservist;
• 28% or 5 unsheltered men served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces or called into active duty as a member of the National Guard or as a Reservist;
• 0 or 0 unsheltered women served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces or called into active duty as a member of the National Guard or as a Reservist.

• 17% or 3 unsheltered adults had been a victim of domestic or intimate partner violence.

• 6% or 1 unsheltered adult was a youth age 18 to 24;
• 0% or 0 persons were unaccompanied youth under age 18.