Ending Homelessness in Florida's Big Bend
Ending Homelessness in Florida's Big Bend
From January 27 through February 2, 2025, over 200 dedicated volunteers fanned out across Leon, Gadsden, Franklin, Wakulla, Jefferson, Liberty, Madison, and Taylor counties to conduct our annual “Point-in-Time” (PIT) Count—a literal census of individuals and families experiencing homelessness, whether sleeping rough, in emergency shelters, transitional housing, or in hotels funded by charitable organizations. This HUD-mandated snapshot not only fulfills federal reporting requirements but also shines a spotlight on the evolving face of homelessness in our community—data that drives funding, policy, and on-the-ground interventions.
Highlighting 2025’s Key Findings
Five-Year Trends at a Glance
Over the past half-decade, our region saw total households fluctuate between a low of 510 (2022) and a high of 691 (2024), with this year’s 595 marking a modest decline. Total persons peaked in 2024 at 840 but fell to 667 in 2025—yet unsheltered counts have climbed from 91 (2021) to a sobering 215 today. Child counts have swung dramatically (from 144 in 2024 to just 64 in 2025), but don’t let the smaller number fool you—every child without a safe place to sleep is unacceptable.
Why That “Drop” Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story
No, homelessness didn’t suddenly retreat across the Big Bend—this year’s apparent decrease owes less to a miraculous policy triumph and more to two nagging factors: reduced HMIS participation by key providers, and lower bed utilization on count nights. In plain English: fewer partners logged data, and some shelters weren’t at capacity, so our “snapshot” missed folks actually in programs. These gaps skew the story, so while we celebrate any real progress, we’re also doubling down on outreach, training, and data-entry efforts to ensure next year’s figures reflect reality, not reporting quirks.
Moving Forward Together
Accurate data fuels effective solutions—from expanding street outreach to bolstering mental-health and substance-use services. If your agency wasn’t in HMIS this year, let’s talk. And if you’d like to dive deeper into these results—or, more likely, challenge our numbers—reach out to Eric Layton at elayton@bigbendcoc.org. Because ending homelessness takes more than good intentions—it demands solid data, tight coordination, and real results.