Annual Homeless Count in Berrien County More Than Doubles, Most Are Children

The Homeless Resource Network, led by a Benton Harbor-based agency for homeless people, counted more homeless people in Berrien County this year than it has since it began doing the count in 2007 - and that's a good and bad thing.

The Emergency Shelter Services agency counted 594 homeless people. For the count, homelessness is broadly defined to include the absolutely homeless or people living in unsafe or temporary housing.

The annual count day was Jan. 26, a Wednesday. It was done during daylight hours.

The total is dramatically up from the 257 in 2008 and from fewer than 100 in 2009 and 2010, said the agency's executive director, Alysia Babcock. The agency operates a shelter for women and children in Benton Harbor and also offers outreach and housing voucher programs.

The 594 is made up of 158 homeless men, 73 homeless women and 363 children of school age.

The largest concentration of homeless men was in Benton Harbor. The largest concentration of homeless women was in Coloma and Watervliet.

For homeless children, the highest concentrations were in Buchanan Community Schools, with 60; New Buffalo Area Schools, 43; and Eau Claire Public Schools, 38.

www.heraldpalladium.com/articles/2011/02/08/local_news/3420830.txt