BELLEVUE, Neb. (KMTV) — A summer volunteer search in Sarpy County found a slight increase in homelessness, according to one volunteer who spent hours Tuesday night searching the area.
Most cities conduct homeless counts only once in the winter, but volunteers say the additional summer effort provides valuable data to help reduce homelessness across the metro.
David Gifford, who works with Bellevue nonprofit All Seasons Foundation, was one of about 8 volunteers who searched Sarpy County from approximately 6 p.m. to midnight Tuesday.
"It gives us a better view of what we're doing we can look at it long term over years to judge are we doing better doing worse?" Gifford said.
The last report counted just over 20 people experiencing homelessness in Sarpy County, conducted back in January when the overnight low was 18 degrees.
"I don't think its necessarily that homelessness is becoming a huge problem though I think we have a slight increase, we're also doing better about getting information out there," Gifford said.
Gifford has been involved in homeless outreach for about five years.
"What have I learned? There's a lot of false ideas and a lot of false beliefs when it comes to being homeless especially when it comes to mental health or drug addiction… its not always because these people did something bad… sometimes its just the way the situation is, you look at the economy the way its been over the last few years," Gifford said.
New Visions President and CEO Brandy Waller led a separate search in Council Bluffs with about 18 volunteers. Their unofficial count came in lower than expected she said.
As the official summer count remains pending, Gifford pointed to a shortage of shelter options as a key barrier to reducing homelessness heading into winter.
"For the winter I think part of the problem that we have is that we have a shortage in the metro for shelters and I don't know necessarily if having a shelter in Sarpy County is the answer but I think maybe transitional housing is something that can help," Gifford said.
A new grant funding plan discussed by Bellevue City Council this week will give All Seasons Foundation about $18,000 over the next year. The funding is expected to help add staff to improve accessibility for those in need.
As for the official count, a spokesperson from Threshold COC says that it can be months before an accurate report is released, citing duplicate verification as one of the biggest challenges to surveying.
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