Infrastructure

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, our county –like many others across the country– has witnessed an increase in homelessness. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, a total of 438 people were experiencing homelessness on a single night in January 2023 in DeKalb County. Since November 2023, approximately 8,000 individuals have utilized DeKalb’s warming centers. This is not the county we envision. 

The faces of the unhoused now include those with mental illness, working families, youth, seniors, and our veterans. It touches everyone. You will find the homeless  sleeping on our streets, taking refuge in their cars and abandoned buildings, or camping in the woods–wherever they can find a place to take shelter. Many of our vulnerable residents are trying to survive under precarious and unsafe conditions, which pose a number of threats and safety concerns not only to the unhoused, but to the community as a whole. 

Solving the homeless problem is complex. The lack of affordable housing units and temporary housing facilities, coupled with disjointed services and lack of funding are contributing to the current crisis. We need effective policies that align and work together. 

Since taking office, my team and I have been working diligently to address this complex, but pressing issue. During the Annual NACO Conference in Washington, DC, I met with Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia Fudge  to discuss some of the barriers DeKalb’s Continuum of Care program was having. I also participated in the Point-in-Time Homeless Count to learn more about the places in our community that are impacted. I toured Frontline Response to get a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities from a service provider’s perspective. Also, I will be partnering with the nonprofit, A Home For Everyone In DeKalb, to launch a homeless mobile response ambassador pilot program in District 1. 

Now is the time to bring together our community stakeholders to tackle the homeless issue in DeKalb. On Friday, April 12th, I will be hosting a Town Hall to discuss comprehensive and collaborative solutions. I encourage you to join us for this important community discussion. To learn more about this event and the other work I have done to address this issue, continue reading below. Solving this issue is not a sprint, but a marathon.  

Addressing DeKalb County’s Homeless Concerns

Homeless

March 11, 2024

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, our county –like many others across the country– has witnessed an increase in homelessness. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, a total of 438 people were experiencing homelessness on a single night in January 2023 in DeKalb County. Since November 2023, approximately 8,000 individuals have utilized DeKalb’s warming centers. This is not the county we envision. 

The faces of the unhoused now include those with mental illness, working families, youth, seniors, and our veterans. It touches everyone. You will find the homeless  sleeping on our streets, taking refuge in their cars and abandoned buildings, or camping in the woods–wherever they can find a place to take shelter. Many of our vulnerable residents are trying to survive under precarious and unsafe conditions, which pose a number of threats and safety concerns not only to the unhoused, but to the community as a whole. 

Solving the homeless problem is complex. The lack of affordable housing units and temporary housing facilities, coupled with disjointed services and lack of funding are contributing to the current crisis. We need effective policies that align and work together. 

Since taking office, my team and I have been working diligently to address this complex, but pressing issue. During the Annual NACO Conference in Washington, DC, I met with Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia Fudge  to discuss some of the barriers DeKalb’s Continuum of Care program was having. I also participated in the Point-in-Time Homeless Count to learn more about the places in our community that are impacted. I toured Frontline Response to get a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities from a service provider’s perspective. Also, I will be partnering with the nonprofit, A Home For Everyone In DeKalb, to launch a homeless mobile response ambassador pilot program in District 1. 

Now is the time to bring together our community stakeholders to tackle the homeless issue in DeKalb. On Friday, April 12th, I will be hosting a Town Hall to discuss comprehensive and collaborative solutions. I encourage you to join us for this important community discussion. To learn more about this event and the other work I have done to address this issue, continue reading below. Solving this issue is not a sprint, but a marathon.  

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