LANCASTER, S.C. — The Lancaster Area Coalition for the Homeless (LACH) conducted the Point in Time (PIT) Count on Jan. 24 to survey the number of homeless individuals and families in Lancaster County.
This annual nationwide count monitors trends and changes in homelessness on local and national levels. It also helps local communities understand the resources needed to reduce the incidence and impact of homelessness and housing insecurity.
Locally, 28 trained volunteers spent 83 collective hours over three sessions throughout Lancaster County locating, interviewing and serving unsheltered individuals and families.
Key findings from this year’s PIT Count include the following:
• 77 homeless people in Lancaster County. This is a 64% increase over 2021 PIT Count numbers.
• 74% of those people were unsheltered and living in their cars, abandoned buildings, tent camps, woody areas or other vulnerable areas. The other 26% were living with family, friends or in a hotel, but had no stable place of residence.
• 16% of those counted were under the age of 18. Additional data from the county McKinney Vento Homeless Program reports that there are 61 homeless children being educated in the Lancaster County School District.
• 59% of those counted refer to a disabling condition impacting their ability to live independently, but out of those 45 people, only 12 indicated that disabling condition to be drug or alcohol abuse.
The PIT Count is an estimate, not a perfect snapshot, and often under-represents the number of individuals experiencing homelessness. For every one person surveyed, there are statistically three more.
In 2023, the United Way provided one-two night hotel stays for 142 individuals who were homeless. That alone tells communities that the problem is bigger than it appears, and the community must be proactive in providing supports to the homeless community and to those who are working, but still struggling to make ends meet so that they can maintain their self-sufficiency and continue to thrive.
The two most frequent causes of homelessness are poverty and the lack of affordable housing, followed by unemployment, disabilities, domestic violence and sudden serious illness.
“Viable solutions to homelessness are really about finding solutions to these complex issues, and the community must come together. We can’t rely on ‘somebody’ to fix it, each of us is the somebody to fix the problem,” said Emily Price, LACH coordinator for United Way.
The Rev. Eddie Boykin and Greater Frazier AME Zion Church are LACH members and aid people in challenging situations.
“We have got to get these resources up and available — the poor will always be with us. If we as a people don’t say, ‘I’m gonna do my part,’ we will prolong the suffering of the people around us. We have got to find a way to strategically look at the needs and get the attention of people to see that this is a solvable problem,” Boykin said.
“LACH is leading the community in identifying the needs and the ways that we as a community can reduce the prevalence and power of homelessness right here where we live. We can do this because we are a caring and loving community. We have the ability to bring solutions that matter to people that matter. We are in a war against poverty, hatred, lots of issues, we just have to work together to make a difference.”
Created in 2014 and facilitated by United Way of Lancaster County, LACH is a group of local nonprofit agencies, government entities, church groups and individuals dedicated to identifying and addressing the need for homeless services in our community.
LACH facilitates a range of programs and services that bring awareness and help address increasing concerns surrounding homelessness. Call the United Way at 803-283-8923 for more information or to be connected to the community assistance you or a neighbor may need.
New members and volunteers are welcome to join and be a part of the solution. LACH meets on the second Thursday of each month at 9:30 a.m. at the Lancaster County Library, 313 S. White St., Lancaster.
Membership is open to any person interested in helping find solutions for the homeless population of Lancaster County. For more information, email lachhouse@uwaylcsc.org or call 803-283-8923.
