HOLYOKE — Over 3,505 people within the four counties of Western Massachusetts are experiencing homelessness according to recent data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development — the highest it has been in the last five years.
The data was presented at the annual gathering of the Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness by Gerry McCafferty, director of housing for the city of Springfield and administrator of the federally funded Springfield-Hampden County Continuum of Care.
The 3,505 number comes from a count of the population of individual experiencing homelessness on Jan. 25, 2023. The count includes 2,288 families and 1,017 individuals. Most of the individuals — 2,683 — reside in Hampden County. Additionally, the number of unsheltered homeless has risen to 199 people in the region, a 150% increase from 2021.
Eviction filings in the western region of the state are at a four-year high, with over 1,900 evictions filed in the first quarter of 2023.
“Pandemic protections and resources are going away,” McCafferty said. “That is one of a number of drivers of what we’re seeing with the higher numbers now.”
Other factors that have increased homelessness, especially during the pandemic, include housing cost increases, spikes in mental illness, substance abuse disorders and domestic violence, which all increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, McCafferty said.
She added that in Western Massachusetts, Black and Hispanic individuals are overrepresented in homelessness numbers compared to the general population.
Approximately 150 network partners were invited to the annual gathering held at Holyoke Community College’s Kittredge Center. The group included Western Massachusetts state legislators, mayors, community college presidents, health care and business leaders and town managers.
Holyoke Mayor Joshua A. Garcia said his city has taken extra steps to help take care of “our most vulnerable population.”
He said that 21% of the city’s stock of housing is affordable and low-income housing. “and we have more than 100 new affordable housing units coming very soon.”
He continued, “Hopefully soon, our friend over at Community Housing Development has a 46-unit low-threshold housing development and a resiliency hub opening soon for our unhoused and including wraparound services.”
He said with these upcoming announcements, residents of Holyoke who are unhoused can be given the support they need.
State Sen. John C. Velis, D-Westfield, thanked service providers who specifically assist residents experiencing homelessness, which gives legislators a better understanding of what to advocate for on Beacon Hill.
“You are the boots on the ground that tell us what’s important,” Velis said. “We wouldn’t know what to advocate for in many instances if it wasn’t for you.”
The Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness is requesting the adoption of a housing justice platform, which it says would address the housing emergency.
Over the last year, organizations addressing homelessness have helped 950 individuals in Western Massachusetts, McCafferty said.