The Southern Nevada Homelessness Continuum of Care and Clark County released figures from a census taken in January that assessed the number of unhoused residents in Southern Nevada.
The information is useful in providing various support services.
The numbers, from the night of the count, showed a 14% increase this year in sheltered and unsheltered individuals experiencing homelessness, with 6,556 counted, compared with 5,645 in 2022.
Of the total count, some 40% were found to be sheltered, with the other 60% unsheltered and sleeping on the streets.
The 2023 annual estimate for the number of people in the area who will experience homelessness at some point during the year is 16,251 — a 16% increase from 2022.
In a news release, Clark County highlighted its ongoing efforts:
Emergency Shelter Services: Clark County has committed to continue to provide services in the form of congregate and non-congregate shelters for the most vulnerable of our neighbors experiencing homelessness. These spaces are intended to provide a safe place for individuals and families, offering not only shelter but also access to supportive services such as counseling, job training, and healthcare.
- A total of 2,724 individuals have been served between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023 in non-congregate shelters.
- A total of 1,551 families between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023 have been served in non-congregate shelters.
Transitional-Rapid Rehousing: Clark County is innovatively providing shelter to thousands in partnership with community partners and providing wraparound services to help ensure those who are most in need of support have access to it to prevent future homelessness.
Operation Home! was a county-led, community-wide initiative to house 2,022 homeless households by the end of 2022. Clark County supported this initiative through a partnership with 12 non-profit rapid rehousing providers. Through this effort 2,398 households were permanently housed.
- Due to the success of this program, the County has committed to continue to provide rapid rehousing services to 11 of our community partners to serve our community’s most vulnerable neighbors experiencing homelessness.
- There are currently 970 households enrolled through these rapid rehousing programs – of these, 680 households have secured housing. This program helps to subsidize individual market rate housing units, provide furniture, as well as provide case management to those being served.
Permanent Supportive Housing: Clark County continues to make historic investments in affordable housing through the Welcome Home Community Housing Fund. In 2022, the County made a historic investment in affordable housing through $120 million in Welcome Home funds to build or maintain 3,000 housing units. In 2023, two new funding rounds were announced including $20 million to build permanent supportive housing in Southern Nevada. That $20 million will be to develop units for extremely low-income residents who are formerly homeless or at risk of homelessness, ow who have other disabling conditions and need housing with supportive services.
Wraparound Services: Clark County's wraparound services are designed to offer a holistic approach to homelessness, recognizing that individuals experiencing homelessness often face multiple challenges. These services aim to address not only immediate housing needs but also the underlying issues that contribute to homelessness. These services are designed to empower homeless individuals to regain their independence and reintegrate into society.
Case Management: Dedicated case managers work closely with persons experiencing homelessness to develop personalized plans for stability and access to necessary services.
Outreach Programs: Our teams actively engage with unsheltered individuals, and work closely with community partners to connect individuals experiencing homelessness to essential services, such as food, hygiene, medical care, and housing resources. Our outreach efforts aim to build trust, understanding, and pathways to stability.
