Florida homeless service demands increase despite drop in federal, state funding
As Board Chair of The Lord's Place, a local nonprofit providing programs and services to end homelessness, we serve our most vulnerable neighbors. On any given night there are thousands of men, women and children – hidden in the shadows of Palm Beach County's paradise – who do not have a safe and permanent place to call home.
Annually, we participate in the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-mandated Point-in-Time Count (PIT). PIT is a count of sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January. As reported by The Palm Beach Post, the January 2025 PIT Count recently released reflects 1,520 individuals and families in Palm Beach County who are struggling without a place to call home. This reflects a decrease of more than 28%, after staggering increases that were reported in 2023 and 2024.
Although the count is a vital tool for resource development and planning, it serves as one measure of Palm Beach County's progress in decreasing homelessness and success in housing homeless populations. The recent statewide legislation makes it illegal to camp on public property and has led many of those we seek to move into the shadows. This makes it increasingly difficult to get accurate results.
The School District of Palm Beach County uses another tool to count public school students who are experiencing homelessness. According to the school district's latest count, there are 4,252 students in our county without a place to call home.
And, as observed by The Lord's Place staff, we are seeing an ever-increasing number of local residents seeking services because they no longer have a secure roof over their heads. Since our fiscal year began July 1, 2024, we have served a total of 1,891 men, women and children so far – an additional 312 individuals experiencing homelessness compared to the previous year-to-date.
The great news is that the county government and community partners, like The Lord's Place, are working harder than ever to serve our at-risk neighbors. As an example, previous PIT Count surveys showed a rise in senior homelessness which led The Lord's Place to recently open Burckle Place III, an intergenerational housing facility for 21 women. We are also getting ready to open Bill's Place, a facility for men 55 years and older.
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The not-so-good news is this year's decreased PIT Count could mean a reduction in allocated federal and state resources to provide housing and supportive services designed to assist individuals and families out of homelessness and into stability. The unsettling reality is a gap exists between the number of unhoused people we count and the actual number who lack permanent shelter – perhaps those who are couch surfing, living in their cars, hidden in wooded areas, encampments or at work or school. Therefore, we continue to face a shortfall in the resources we have to serve this population.Now more than ever, agencies like ours are having to turn to private donors to mitigate the impact of these potential cuts to ensure continued support for our neighbors in need.
Letter: Federal funds aid Palm Beach County
The Lord's Place, along with the County and our community partners, will continue to play a key role in advocating for more resources. As ambassadors for those experiencing homelessness, our work will never be done until every individual in Palm Beach County is accounted for and has a home.
Cornie Thornburgh is Chair of The Lord's Place Board of Directors.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida homeless services need increases as funds decrease | Opinion
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