National

Report Indicates Nearly Half of Homeless Veterans Are Black - November 15, 2009
Afro American;Staff

Nearly half of the nation’s homeless population that are military veterans are also Black, according to a new study… Read more

Here is the full report by the National Coalition to End Homelessness

Vital Mission: Ending Homelessness Among Veterans

Alaska

Homeless addicts can wait months for help - November 14, 2009
by Lisa Demer; Anchorage Daily News
At the city sleep-off center next to the jail on Fourth Avenue, a young guy shakes uncontrollably. His alcohol level tested out above .30, enough to put most people into a coma if not kill them… Read more

Arizona

Judge Orders Phoenix Church to Stop Feeding Homeless - November 12, 2009
Huffington Post; Staff
The homeless in Phoenix, Ariz. will have to find a new place for a pancake breakfast after a court ruling forced a neighborhood church to shut down its charity dining hall… Read more

LA agencies dispute reported homelessness drop - November 11, 2009
San Jose Mercury News; Associated Press
Homeless service providers say they’re seeing more demand than ever in Los Angeles County and are baffled by a survey that shows the county’s homeless population has drastically decreased… Read more

Eviction Date Nears at Visalia Homeless Camp - November 14, 2009
by Norma Yuriar; KMPH Fox 26
The clock is ticking for dozens of people living along the St. Johns River in the South Valley. They now have less than 72–hours to pack up and leave. The Tulare County Sheriff’s Department says the eviction is in response to neighbor complaints of the increasing number of homeless people moving into the area and loitering… Read more

Monterey County’s new face of homelessness - November 14, 2009
by Dave Nordstrand; The Californian
At age 40, Roselia Baez, a soft-spoken woman in a powder-blue sweater and slacks, knows about surviving on the edge of insecurity. She’s a single mother of four with two daughters still living with her. In July, after five months working in housekeeping at Natividad Medical Center, Baez was laid off, she said. “Because of the economy going down,” she said. “A job. Then, no job. A place to live. Then no place to live. "It hurt.” … Read more

Deputies clear homeless camp along St. Johns River - November 17, 2009
by Valerie Gibbons; Visalia Times-Delta
Mike Whited took only the belongings that would fit in a shopping cart. The rest of his possessions — the extra tent, some blankets and the water jugs — would be left behind in the sand along the riverbank.It was 7 a.m. Monday and requests for a 30-day extension had been denied. Now the dozen or so remaining residents of the homeless encampment along St. Johns River were being told they had to move within the next hour or face arrest for trespassing… Read more

Florida

National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week - November 15, 2009
WMBB-ABC
The week of November 15th is National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week, and the Homeless and Hunger Coalition of Northwest Florida has scheduled a number of local events to bring greater understanding of the challenges that homeless individuals, families and children face daily in the Panama City area… Read more

Homeless question Bartolotta at news conference -November 20, 2009
by Anthony Cormier; Sarasota Herald Tribune
Sarasota police officers, union representatives and media members were not the only people to attend this morning’s news conference at the Sarasota Police Department. A group of homeless men showed up to ask City Manager Robert Bartolotta why their population was not represented on a newly-formed civilian advisory panel… Read more

Georgia

Report: Number of homeless veterans down in Ga. - November 11, 2009
Atlanta Journal Constitution; Associated Press
A national report shows that homelessness among veterans is declining in Georgia. The report released Tuesday by the National Alliance to End Homelessness examined the number of military veterans who are now living on the streets… Read more

Kansas

KC task force on homeless announced - November 17, 2009
by Lynn Horsley; Kansas City Star
Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser today announced formation of a new task force to address homelessness in Kansas City. The group consists of more than 30 advocates, including city council members and experts in health care, public safety, social services, and legal issues… Read more

Maryland

Md. death is blamed on trash compactor - November 20, 2009
by Matt Zapotosky; Washington Post
The Upper Marlboro man whose body was found at a Laurel recycling facility Tuesday was homeless and sleeping in a dumpster when he was picked up and compacted by a cardboard recycling truck, authorities said Thursday… Read more

Missouri

Schools see increase in free, reduced-price lunches - November 17, 2009
by Dawn Bormann and Jim Sullinger; Kansas City Star
Johnson County might be considered the affluent cousin to neighboring counties, but ask area school officials and they’ll share a much different story. The recession is hitting many suburban communities hard, and several Johnson County school districts are seeing large increases in students applying for free or reduced lunches, which is one measure of poverty… Read more

New Hampshire

3 charged with beating homeless NH man for boots - November 14, 2009Boston Herald; Associated Press
Three people have been charged with beating a homeless 19-year-old New Hampshire man and throwing him into a river to die over a pair of boots. Concord, N.H., police said the man, who was not identified, was in the hospital and expected to recover… Read more

New York

Schumer: 8,600 homeless in upstate NY - November 11, 2009
Newsday; Associated Press
Sen. Charles Shumer says there are about 8,600 homeless military veterans in upstate New York.The New York Democrat says that homelessness and mental health programs for veterans are starved for funding and aren’t able to handle the increasing number of new vets who end up on the streets. He’s calling for more money for those programs and for student loans to veterans… Read more

Ohio

City Leaders Hope to Tear Down Tent City - November 18, 2009
WHIO TV
Dayton city leaders are working to possibly tear down an old railroad trestle often called “Tent City.” The trestle is home to some of Dayton’s homeless and police believe the area has been a major source of crime. They are among members of the community who want that trestle gone… Read more

South Carolina

Working to find solution to Charleston homelessness - November 13, 2009
by Prentiss Findley; Charleston Post and Courier
South Carolina has an estimated 7,000 homeless people on any given night but has beds for only about 2,100 of them. That’s a disgrace, and the government, churches and civic groups need to work together to end it, community leaders said Thursday… Read more

Texas

Valley homeless shelter sees increase - November 13, 2009
by Raphael Carranza; KGBT TV
The downfall in the economy has placed more families in greater need of the services from homeless and food shelters, according to one Valley shelter… Read more

Homeless children in Fort Worth area increases - November 20, 2009
by Chilton Tippin; Daily Skiff
Each day, Jo Carter, the liaison specialist for homeless students in the Fort Worth Independent School District, sorts through a massive stack of forms on her desk. The forms, which steadily increase in number each day, ask a series of questions that help to identify students in need of assistance because they are homeless. The forms are the only way the school district has of seeking these children in need, and they cannot reflect actual number of homeless children, Carter said… Read more