Fargo/Moorhead Coalition for Homeless Persons
Homelessness is typically thought of in terms of financial resources, but there are many factors that can lead to homelessness. Loss of employment, long-term illness, divorce, domestic violence, institutional release, and other factors can a create situations where people cannot afford to pay rent or make house payments. Right here, in Cass and Clay counties, the Fargo/Moorhead Coalition for Homeless Persons is bringing together organizations, businesses and individuals with the resources needed to tackle the issue of homelessness. The coalition works to streamline services currently available to homeless persons in the area as well as work toward providing new services and solutions to homelessness.
A statewide January 30, 2008 Point-in-Time Survey of 832 Homeless People indicated:
- 2% stayed outside, in cars, in abandoned buildings the night of the survey
- 74% stayed in emergency shelters or transitional supportive housing
- 21% were precariously housed in motels or doubled up with family or friends and at imminent risk of being on the street
- 76% (421) were unaccompanied individuals
- 24% (411) were families, including 363 children under the age of 18
- 51% cannot afford rent, even if they have some income
- 45% were unemployed
- 36% had alcohol or drug abuse problems
- 33% had a mental illness
