NJ Spotlight published the following article on 7/8/2014. To read the full article, click here.

Explainer: A Primer on Homelessness in the State of New Jersey

Hank Kalet | July 8, 2014

While the state’s homeless population grew significantly in 2014, according to an annual count, it appears relatively stable when measured over a five-year period — despite a tight economy, residential housing losses due to superstorm Sandy, and New Jersey’s high cost of living.

Major efforts to reduce the number of homeless in the state notwithstanding, the fact that the numbers remained stable is to be expected, given that the economy has yet to recover fully from the collapse of the housing bubble and the financial meltdown of 2007 and 2008, according to advocates for the homeless. Meanwhile, housing prices remain high and there continues to be a shortage of affordable rental units.

The numbers present a thorny problem for advocates. There have been significant efforts around the state to move the homeless into housing and change the way agencies attempt to address the issue. But some areas, mostly in the state’s southern counties, have not moved quickly enough, advocates say.

The state conducts an annual point-in-time count — a census of the homeless in late January — intended to create a snapshot of the population. The count is used to allocate federal homeless funding every two years.

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