Dozens more Lancaster County residents have joined the homeless population over the last year, straining the services and resources available to help them.
Lancaster County Homelessness Coalition's annual winter count found 526 people across the county were homeless in January: 107 living on the streets and 419 staying in shelters.
The total number of homeless grew by 54 people, or 11%, in a year, but the number of people living unsheltered increased more than fivefold. Last year, only 20 people were living on the streets.
Justin Eby, executive director of Lancaster County Housing and Redevelopment Authority, which oversees the homelessness coalition, was not surprised by the increases. More factors contribute to homelessness than prevent it, he said, including the rising cost of living, low availability of affordable housing and the end of pandemic-era protections for low-income earners.
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