St. Louis County Releases Homelessness Count 2022

DULUTH, Minn. – St. Louis County released the results of a census conducted in January that shows the number of individuals experiencing homelessness in the county.

The report showed that 606 individuals are experiencing homelessness with 234 experiencing unsheltered homelessness. These numbers have been trending up over the past five years as it is a 20 percent increase from what has been recorded.

Reasons for the increase in numbers is due to an eroding supply of affordable housing and lack of health care addressing mental wellness and drug abuse.

“A huge majority of the people who accessed the warming center this year live with a disability, almost all of them. Whether it’s mental or physical, a developmental disability, or a chronic substance use problem, and so the folks who are suffering the consequences of homelessness also have some of the highest barriers. They have the most to lose; the most vulnerable members of our community,” CHUM Warming Center Coordinator, Joel Kilgour says.

CHUM is currently working with other homeless service providers in the city to look ways to increase housing in Duluth, through a five year plan with the goal of creating 200 new units of housing and increasing shelter capacity by 65 percent.