The following information was obtained from homeless individuals who completed an intake form between December 1, 1997 to February 28, 1998 while at one of the seventeen Homeless Coalition Agencies. This count also includes any consumer who was still participating in case management or being sheltered at one of the agencies during the above time frame. The seventeen Homeless Coalition Agencies that provided information were: American Indian Community Center, CHAS, House of Charity, Interfaith Hospitality, Miryam’s House, Ogden Hall, Salvation Army, Salem Arms, SNAP, St. Margaret’s, Transitional Living Center, Union Gospel Mission, Veterans Homeless Office, VOA Crosswalk, Women’s Drop In Center, YWCA Domestic Violence Shelter, YWCA Transitional School.

 

2,010 individuals were homeless during this time.

1,338 adults and 672 children were counted representing 1,192 households.

1,100 (55%) of the consumers were living in households that included children.

910 (45%) were living in single adult households.

The number of consumers living in households with children increased by 7 percent when comparing households in the Nov 97 - Jan 98 report with this report.

Within the 340 households that included children (29% of total households),

88 (26%) were two parent HH,

230 (68%) were single female head of HH, and

22 ( 6%) were single male head of HH.

Within the 852 households that did not include children (71% of total households),

52 ( 6%) included 2 or more adults living together,

594 (70%) were single males, and

206 (24%) were single females.

351 (26%) of adults represented ethnic/racial minorities. The most frequent was Native American, 122 (9%).

222 (33%) children were minorities. Most frequent group was African American, 94 (14%).

Four most frequent reasons given for being homeless included: 375 households reported Alcohol/Drug Abuse (32%), 199 reported Domestic Violence (17%), 196 stated Relocation (16%), and 173 reported Mental Health Issues (15%) as the reason for their homelessness.

176 households (15%) reported having AFDC/TANF as their source of income, 111 (9%) reported being on GAU, 107 (9%) were employed and 88 (7%) were on SSI.

 

Household Income:	Households :
Reporting no current source of income.	552 / 46%
Reporting some income.	558 / 47%
Unknown.	82 / 7%
Average Income for those receiving some form of regular income.	$228 /mo
Total Households:	1,192

 

197 head of households (17%) reported to be veterans.

401 households (34%) reported that they had been homeless at least once before.

622 households (52%) resided in Spokane when they became homeless, 123 (10%) lived in Spokane County, 396 households (33%) came to Spokane from other counties surrounding Spokane County, and 4% were from other states.

426 households (36%) were living in shelters, 285 (24%) were living in cars or staying in campgrounds, 144 (12%) were doubled up and 99 (8%) were living in treatment facilities.

Recently a series of questions were added to the Intake form to find out if welfare reform has had an impact on homeless households. Due to the newness of this question only 45 households have been recorded. The responses follow:

31 (69%) of the households reported that welfare reform decreased their income.

30 (67%) of the households reported that their housing situation "got worse".

4 ( 9%) of the households reported that their child care situation "got worse".

9 (20%) of the households reported that their health care "got worse".

Assessments on housing, employment, income, was obtained from 323 Adult/Parenting Surveys that were completed by current homeless consumers.

 

EMPLOYMENT/EDUCATION:

254 households (79%) were unemployed; 37 (12%) were employed with seasonal or part-time jobs. Only 29 (9%) were full time employed.

At least one adult had some job skills for 246 (76%) of the households.

All adults had a diploma or a GED in 232 (72%) of the households.

 

INCOME/MONEY MANAGEMENT:

Income met basic needs less than 50% of the time for 64% of the households.

19% had participated in budgeting class.

 

NUTRITION:

Only 69% households can provide enough food for 3 meals for all family members.

79% households have food stamps.

 

This section of information only refers to households with children under 18. Again, the time period for this information is December 1997 to February 28, 1998.

 

1,100 consumers were living in households that included children.

428 (39%) consumers in households with children were adults and 672 (61%) were children.

340 households had children under 18. Out of the 340 households;

88 (26%) were two parent HH,

230 (68%) were single female head of HH, and

22 ( 6%) were single male head of HH.

114 (27%) of adults in households with children represented ethnic/racial minorities. The most frequent was Native American, 50 (12%).

222 (33%) children were minorities. Most frequent group was African American, 94 (14%).

Most frequent reasons given, from consumers living in households with children, for being homeless included: 118 households reported Domestic Violence (17%), 89 reported Eviction the reason (26%) 80 households reported Alcohol/Drug Abuse (24%), and 50 stated Relocation (15%) as the reason for their homelessness.

165 households with children(49%) reported having AFDC/TANF as their source of income, 50 (15%) were employed, 31 (9%) were on SSI and 17 (5%) received child support.

 

Household Income:	HH’s w/children
Reporting no current source of income.	64 / 19%
Reporting some income.	252 / 74%
Unknown.	24 / 7%
Average Income for those receiving some form of regular income.	$429 /mo
Total Households:	340

 

 

18 head of households with children(5%) reported to be veterans.

141 households with children (42%) reported that they had been homeless before.

198 households with children (58%) resided in Spokane when they became homeless, 51 (15%) lived in Spokane County, 76 (22%) came to Spokane from other counties surrounding Spokane County, and 4% were from other states.

152 households with children (45%) were living in shelters, 36 (11%) were living in cars or staying in campgrounds, 72 (21%) were doubled up and 8 (2%) were living in treatment facilities.

Welfare Reform questions: 29 (64%) responses were from households with children:

20 (69%) of the households reported that welfare reform decreased their income.

22 (76%) of the households reported that their housing situation "got worse".

3 (10%) of the households reported that their child care situation "got worse".

4 (14%) of the households reported that their health care "got worse".

 

Assessments on housing, employment, income, was obtained from 136 Adult/Parenting Surveys that were completed by current homeless consumers.

 

 

EMPLOYMENT/EDUCATION:

101 households with children (74%) were unemployed; 18 (13%) were employed with seasonal or part-time jobs. Only 15 (11%) were full time employed.

At least one adult had some job skills for 104 (77%) of the households with children.

All adults had a diploma or a GED in 93 (68%) of the households with children

INCOME/MONEY MANAGEMENT:

Income met basic needs less than 50% of the time for 80 (59%) of the households w/children.

37 (27%) had participated in budgeting class.

 

NUTRITION:

109 households with children (80%) can provide enough food for 3 meals for all family members.

119 households with children (88%) receive food stamps.

 

This section of information only refers to households without children under 18. Again, the time period for this information is December 1997 to February 28, 1998.

 

912 consumers were living in households without children.

Within the 852 households that did not include children (71% of total households),

52 ( 6%) included 2 or more adults living together,

594 (70%) were single males, and

206 (24%) were single females.

239 (26%) of adults in households with children represented ethnic/racial minorities. The most frequent was Native American, 72 (8%).

Most frequent reasons given, from consumers living in households without children, for being homeless included: 295 households reported Alcohol/Drug Abuse (35%), 146 reported Relocation the reason (17%) 146 households reported Mental Health Problems (17%), and 121 (14%) stated Family Conflict as the reason for their homelessness.

92 households without children (11%) reported having GAU as their source of income, 57 (7%) were employed, and 57 (7%) were on SSI.

 

Household Income:	HH’s w/o children
Reporting no current source of income.	488 / 57%
Reporting some income.	306 / 36%
Unknown.	58 / 7%
Average Income for those receiving some form of regular income.	$149 /mo
Total Households:	852

 

 

179 adults in households without children (21%) reported to be veterans.

260 households without children (31%) reported that they had been homeless before.

424 households without children (50%) resided in Spokane when they became homeless, 72 (9%) lived in Spokane County, 320 (38%) came to Spokane from other counties surrounding Spokane County, and 29 (3%) were from other states.

297 households without children (35%) were living in shelters, 249 (29%) were living in cars or staying in campgrounds, 72 (9%) were doubled up and 91 (11%) were living in treatment facilities.

Welfare Reform questions: 16 (36%) responses were from households without children:

11 (69%) of the households w/o children reported that welfare reform decreased their income.

8 (47%) of the households w/o children reported that their housing situation "got worse".

5 (31%) of the households w/o children reported that their health care "got worse".

 

Assessments on housing, employment, income, was obtained from 187 Adult/Parenting Surveys that were completed by current homeless consumers.

 

EMPLOYMENT/EDUCATION:

153 households without children (82%) were unemployed; 19 (10%) were employed with seasonal or part-time jobs. Only 11(8%) were full time employed.

At least one adult had some job skills for 142 (76%) of the households without children.

All adults had a diploma or a GED in 139 (74%) of the households without children

INCOME/MONEY MANAGEMENT:

Income met basic needs less than 50% of the time for 130 (70%) of the households without children.

24 (13%) had participated in budgeting class.

 

NUTRITION:

114 households without children (61%) can provide enough food for 3 meals for all family members.

137 households without children (73%) receive food stamps.