A Spot Check On Homelessness In Nebraska's Fastest-Growing County Left Task Force Astonished

From Nebraska Examiner:

By Cindy Gonzalez

March 31, 2023

BELLEVUE — A “point in time” homeless count revealed some startling scenarios in Nebraska’s fastest-growing county, even to those who work daily with low-income populations.

Lift Up Sarpy County, in cooperation with several partners, sent teams out during a four-hour period Jan. 23 to try to get an estimate of people without permanent homes.

The nonprofit, which uses the information for reporting purposes, issued a statement Thursday about its findings.

Their census showed: 30 people estimated to be living in tents or on the streets, 18 temporarily housed in area hotels and 27 living in cars in area parking lots or “couch surfing.”

In addition, a reported 144 children attending Sarpy County schools were homeless, though not all schools provide such information, according to the Lift Up Sarpy task force on homelessness.

“These numbers are staggering and reflect only a glimpse of what’s going on,” said Tanya Gifford, executive director of Lift Up Sarpy County. A news release described the findings as “astonishing.”

“While we knew that more than 5% of Sarpy’s population was living at or below the poverty line, even we were taken aback by some of the stories and situations we discovered during the PIT Count,” she said.

Living in a car

For example, Gifford said, the team found a middle-aged man, who had been laid off from his factory job, living in his car. He said he was going through a divorce yet trying to save what money he had to financially support children who were living with their mom.

Separate from the Jan. 23 survey, yet related to housing instability, Gifford said she was delivering food recently to an area hotel where her agency provides temporary housing for families. She said she saw a school bus pull up and drop off 11 children who were receiving emergency shelter there.

She said it is tough for many to “wrap their heads” around the fact that Sarpy has a homeless issue, given its “incredible” economic growth.

“However, as our county grows, so do the number of people struggling with housing,” Gifford said. Sarpy had the fastest-growing population of all 93 Nebraska counties between the 2010 and 2020 Census decennial surveys.

Sarpy is processing evictions at nearly double the rate of a year ago, Gifford said, and averages about 13 evictions per week. This past week, she said, 27 county households faced eviction.

During last week, she said, Lift Up Sarpy received close to $6,000 worth of assistance requests from people whose gas and water was being cut off for nonpayment. (She said that’s when Metropolitan Utilities District restarted shutoffs.) The nonprofit was not able to accommodate all the families and referred some to other agencies.

Rent aid

Gifford was among those testifying last week in favor of Legislative Bill 715, which would force Gov. Jim Pillen to draw down on what’s left of the second round of federal emergency rent and utility aid set aside for the state’s 91 smaller and rural counties, including Sarpy.

About $48 million remains available if Nebraska chooses to apply to the U.S. Treasury Department by a 2025 deadline, advocates said.

The pot began at $120 million, but about 60% was redistributed to other areas after then-Gov. Pete Ricketts chose not to apply and an earlier deadline passed.

Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha, who introduced LB 715, said last week he was hopeful, given conversations with Pillen’s office, that the governor would accept the funding even without pressure of a bill, which he called a backup measure.

Pillen’s office did not respond to a query Thursday on the governor’s plan regarding the second round of emergency assistance offered through the American Rescue Act Plan of 2021.

Meanwhile, the Lift Up Sarpy task force has created Community Care Kits to help support those in need of housing. The backpacks are filled with supplies and a list of resources to contact for guidance.

Gifford said the kits are to be distributed to law enforcement and other first responders who come in contact with the homeless population.

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