Chronic homelessness down 42 percent, new Utah report says

Utah has experienced a 42 percent downturn in chronic homelessness from the previous year, a new report shows. Researchers and human services providers attribute the decline to a 10-year initiative that places the homeless in housing sooner and connects them to an array of services and case management to deal with issues that contribute to homelessness. Providing transitional housing to the newly homeless frees up beds in shelters. The "rapid rehousing" concept attempts to place homeless individuals in housing within a matter of weeks.

The Comprehensive Report on Homelessness, released at a homeless summit in downtown Salt Lake Wednesday, states the vast majority of Utah's homeless population — 67 percent — are temporarily homeless. They stay in shelters for brief periods and often do not return. Because of this trend, it is important that agencies that serve the homeless have beds available when people request them. Deseret News

Note: You can find a copy of the full report here: http://housingworks.utah.gov/publication_research/documents/UtHomelessReportRev10_11_2010.pdf