Sharp decline in homelessness in Lubbock over 5 years

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - The number of people suffering from homelessness is on the decline in the Hub City.

The South Plains Homeless Consortium released its point-in-time count on Friday. It shows a significant decrease in the number of people without long term shelter.

The Lubbock Salvation Army is just one organization in our area working to provide permanent housing to those in need.

Erica Hitt with the Salvation Army says the programs the non-profit is implementing are proving successful.

“That’s the reason the numbers are declining and we foresee them continuing to decline,” Hitt said.

SPHC says the 2022 point-in-time count shows a decrease of more than 20% over the past five years.

The number of people without a place to live has dropped from 333 to 259, partially thanks to the Salvation Army’s Rapid Rehousing Program. Its purpose, to provide a forever home.

“Our one goal is to provide that permanent housing,” Hitt said.

The organization also helps families and individuals prepare for that opportunity. That includes helping them pay off debt, find employment and budget their money.

“When they reach their barriers it’s time to move them into permanent housing,” Hitt said. “We still do the same case management, we just do it from their home.”

A new program through St. Francis Ministries called “Passage” allows the non-profit to help kids who have aged out of the foster care system avoid ending up on the streets.

“They need a program designed for them,” Hitt said. “So we can see this group through their high school diploma or GED and kinda break the cycle, because those numbers were increasing with this demographic.”

The combination of those programs, along with other organizations working with the SPHC are helping people become home owners.

“I think we’re all happy with that,” Hitt said. “As long as we continue to see a decline, then what we’re doing here in Lubbock, it’s working. Whether it’s Open Door, Grace Campus, Family Promise, Salvation Army - all of us try to work together and I believe wholeheartedly that what we’ve got going and our slate of programs is pretty amazing here.”

This year’s point-in-time count shows 33 children are homeless, while 226 adults are without shelter.

Another notable number in that report, 24, that’s the number of individuals dealing with chronic homelessness.

That figure shows nearly a 50% decline over the past five years.

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