Homeless count in

The results of Butte County’s annual homeless count have been tabulated. Surprisingly, they’re down. The total reached 1,380 in the county—858 in Chico, 416 in Oroville and 94 in Paradise (12 were from other areas). Of those, 186 were children.

That’s actually fewer than were counted two years ago, when the total was 1,791.

Gloria Rodgers, program director for the Esplanade House and part of the Butte County Continuum of Care, on Monday (March 23) released the results of the count held Jan. 28. Questions focused on demographics as well as where a person slept the night before.

Among the demographics: 41 percent reported never finishing high school; 42 percent reported a physical or developmental disability; 28 percent reported a drug addiction; 58 percent have been residents in the county more than five years; 33 percent were between the ages of 41 and 54.

These statistics are required in order to qualify for certain funds from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. Over the next couple months, Rodgers said the Continuum of Care would be going over the homeless-count results in more detail, with more complete demographics expected sometime over the summer.