This week Arizona 360 got an update on efforts to help one of Southern Arizona's most disadvantaged populations: the homeless. Last year homelessness affected 37,404 people across the state, according to the Arizona Department of Economic Security. The department's annual report on homelessness in the state also found 23 percent of the homeless population lives in Pima County. In recent years, that number has decreased due in part to collaborative programs that have led to employment and housing for some homeless individuals.
Tom Litwicki is CEO of Old Pueblo Community Services, which is one of the organizations making a difference. He explained some of the solutions that address the ongoing challenges associated with homelessness.
"One of the things you'll hear people say is: 'I can't get housing because I'm not employed. And I can't get employed because I don't have housing,'" Litwicki said. Litwicki said his organization offers what's called low-barrier housing designed as a bridge that provides temporary apartments where tenants can store their belongings and better prepare to enter the workforce. Residents can stay as long as they are not an imminent danger to themselves or others.
The Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness website features the agencies that can place homeless individuals on a list for this type of housing.
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