Lynn plans two-sided approach to annual homeless census

LYNN – The city’s annual mission of calculating the number of homeless people and finding a solution to the problem is drawing close.A two-sided approach is planned, including a public hearing on homelessness sponsored by Lynn PACT (People Acting as a Collaborative Team) on Feb. 12 at 9:30 a.m. at Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development (LHAND), 10 Church St., and the annual homeless census on Jan. 30 at 10 p.m.According to Olivia Lyons, grant manager at LHAND, the purpose of the hearing is to provide local agencies and citizens an opportunity to voice their opinions as to what the needs of Lynn’s homeless are, as well as how funds should be utilized.Lynn PACT administers the city’s Supportive Housing McKinney-Vento funds, which are used to provide housing and services for the homeless population.”It’s an open forum without a strict format and basically anyone can come to speak,” Lyons said. “Last year we only had four speakers, so the turnout usually isn’t a big one, but everyone is welcome to attend.”Once ideas are established to assist homeless people, Lyons said the annual homeless census then tallies the number of sheltered and unsheltered homeless people.According to Lynn Shelter Association Executive Director Marjorie St. Paul, last year’s unsheltered homeless count totaled 28 people.This year, St. Paul said she anticipates a higher number.”We’ve already identified about 32 people that are unsheltered this year and I do expect the number to go up a little,” she said. “The people that we know of have either been barred from the shelters, or have other difficult issues getting clean and sober.”St. Paul said the census would be conducted on a broader spectrum this year, targeting areas of the city that volunteers haven’t visited in the past.Substance abuse trainees at North Shore Community College will accompany the volunteers to assist with homeless people suffering from addictions.My Brother’s Table will supply bag lunches, hats, scarves and quilts to those in need.Last year, St. Paul said a local citizen donated gift cards from Wendy’s, Dunkin’ Donuts and other fast food chains to the homeless so they would have a place to eat and get warm during the harsh winter months. It hasn’t been determined yet if the same person will donate the cards again.”I would say that the majority of the homeless people in the city are between the ages of 30-60 years old,” St. Paul said. “The school system does state that they have 300 non-parentally guided teens living in Lynn. There are approximately 1,200 teens in total that have a guardian or are under DSS care, but the 300 are completely on their own.”While the number of homeless teens in the city is quite high, St. Paul said it is amazing that they are still attending school.”It’s probably so that they can get warm for a few hours and eat some food, but it’s a very, very difficult thing to do,” she said. “The Housing Authority and the Lynn Shelter are working on taking a bunch of the kids into a program to help them.”In 2005, a study prepared by Mayor Edward J. Clancy Jr.’s office identified 109 homeless people who were arrested in the downtown area over the course of the year.A large number of the individuals were found to have extensive criminal records including serious crimes such as armed robbery, armed assault and drug possession.The study also showed that homeless people are heavy users of municipal services such as police, fire, emergency response and health care.St. Paul said LSA is working on obtaining funding from Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the Rapid-Re-Housing program, which pays back rent for families to avoid becoming homeless.”It’s a cyclical process and we have to do something about it,” she said.For more information about the upcoming Lynn PACT hearing, contact Lyons at 781-581-8620.