According to the latest ‘point in time’ count, 6,663 people are experiencing homelessness in Alberta. It is a figure that has become a lot smaller in just the past few years.
Seven cities across Alberta conducted the count to paint a clear picture of how many people are without a permenant home. Calgary has the highest amount of homeless people with 3,555. In Lethbridge, the number has decreased to 140.
The decreased numbers come as the cities involved are all taking a similar approach to fighting homelessness.
“All of the seven cities have adopted the housing first approach with support services and focusing on preventing homelessness,” said Diane Randall, manager of Community and Social Development.
Since 2008, there’s been a 16% drop in homelessness province-wide. Grande Prairie is the only city that saw a rise, and Alberta’s largest city, Calgary, has seen a very modest drop from 3,601 to 3,555 in those six years.
Lethbridge has cut their number nearly in half, going from 276 in 2008, to 140 homeless last year.
But more still needs to be done to completely eradicate homelessness in the city.
“The biggest challenge in Lethbridge is the lack of affordable housing,” said Randall.
Social Housing in Action will be working with the city to develop a strategy to create more options for low income residents to find and keep housing.
“We estimate that we could use at least 700 new units.”
That strategy is expected to be finalized sometime in the summer.
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