Guilford County count shows more people experiencing homelessness

Preliminary numbers from the Guilford County Point-in-Time Count show there are more unhoused people in the area this year than there were in 2023.

The results show 641 people experiencing homelessness, up from 452 last year. Partners Ending Homelessness is a local nonprofit that works to maintain updated and accurate information on resources for those who are unhoused.

Executive Director Shereá Burnett says the county is facing a two-fold issue: a lack of shelter spaces on the front end, and the cost of housing on the back end.

"We see a lot of people being evicted because they can't afford to remain where they are," she says. "And then we see a lot of people that are unable to get housing because maybe they have a voucher, or maybe they have been accepted by a housing program but they just can't find something within their rent range that's appropriate or fair for them to be able to pay."

Burnett says her group has noticed an increase in homelessness for families with young children and people over the age of 50. She also says bad weather during previous counts hindered numbers, but this year they were able to capture a better representation.