NH Union Leader – December 18, 2024
By PAUL FEELY, Union Leader Staff
New Hampshire experienced the highest percentage increase in homelessness in its annual Point in Time count of any state in the country in 2023, rising 52.1%, a new report shows. The report, “The State of Homelessness in New Hampshire,” was released this week by the NH Coalition to End Homelessness (NHCEH). The national average increase among Point in Time (PIT) homelessness counts was 12%, NHCEH reports.
The State of Homelessness in New Hampshire report uses a cross-section of information sources to explore homelessness across the state, including PIT count and Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) data. The PIT count refers to the number of people experiencing homelessness in New Hampshire during a single 24-hour period at the end of January, while HMIS data is more comprehensive and includes information for an entire calendar year. “This year’s report, based on available data from 2023, shows that, sadly, the growth in homelessness in New Hampshire continues, despite the passion and hard work that homeless service providers and other advocates expend every day to stem this tide,” said Jennifer Chisholm, executive director of NHCEH, said in a statement. “It will take a lot of continued work to reverse these trends, but we know that homelessness is a solvable issue when the systems addressing it have ample resources and support.”
Based on PIT count data, the total number of individuals who experienced homelessness in New Hampshire on the night of the count increased from 1,605 in 2022 to 2,441 in 2023, representing a 52.1% increase, the highest single-year percent rise the state has experienced in PIT count numbers in the past five years. On the night of the 2023 PIT count, 17.4 out of every 10,000 residents were homeless, NHCEH reports. This falls below the national rate of 19.4 per 10,000.
Amplify NH, a special interest group backing Democratic candidates, referred to the rise in homelessness in New Hampshire as Gov. Chris Sununu’s “lasting legacy.”
“Governor Sununu and his Republican majorities have led the nation’s worst freefall on homelessness,” Amplify NH Executive Director Ryan Mahoney said in a statement. “Sununu was handed progress on this issue and left the state in crisis, with skyrocketing homelessness and housing costs that have left families and communities struggling. Instead of working with mayors to address this critical issue, he dismissed and downplayed their concerns. “His abject failure on homelessness and housing will be a lasting legacy of his time in office.”
Jake Leon, communications director for the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), said in an email the department supports the work of the NH Council on Housing Stability, but admits “the data is clear that more must be done to help this vulnerable population.”
“The department has increased shelter rates to support shelter providers, provided funding to support each county’s warming station this winter, made significant investments in underlying issues such as mental health and SUD services, and increased investments into the Affordable Housing Fund,” Leon said. “Additionally, the state has made landmark investments to increase access to affordable and workforce ousing. DHHS stands ready to continue engaging with community partners to address and prevent homelessness.”
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development considers people unsheltered if they sleep in a place not used for regular sleeping accommodations. NHCEH calls the PIT count numbers “an important tool in tracking the trends in homelessness.” “The people who are living unsheltered on the night of the count are some of the most vulnerable members of the community, as many of them do not possess the financial resources or safety and support networks necessary to secure housing on one of the coldest nights of the NH winter,” NHCEH said in the report.
The PIT count shows a decline in veteran homelessness in the state by 21.3%, while the number of people in families experiencing homelessness during this same time period increased by nearly 50%. The number of youths experiencing homelessness grew by almost 40%, with one out of every five people considered homeless the night of the January PIT count in January 2023 under the age of 18. This week, communities across New Hampshire and the nation will hold vigils to recognize Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day, to honor and remember those who lost their lives in the past year while experiencing homelessness.
The vigils traditionally are held in conjunction with the winter solstice, the longest night of the year.
Catholic Medical Center’s Healthcare for the Homeless, in partnership with the Manchester Health Department, Families in Transition, Hope for New Hampshire Recovery, the New Hampshire Coalition to End Homelessness and the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester, will hold the 8th Annual Homeless Persons’ Memorial Vigil this Friday, Dec. 20, at 6 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park in Manchester. During the vigil, luminarias will be lit in remembrance of individuals lost. The program is expected to last approximately 20 minutes. “Although the current situation seems overwhelming, NHCEH holds high the torch of hope,” Chisholm said in a statement. “New Hampshire has made some extremely positive strides in the realms of housing and homelessness in recent years, upon which we as a state can continue to build.” Download the full report by visiting nhceh.org.