COLORADO SPRINGS — Inflation has had an impact on housing costs, causing some people to choose between a place to live and other expenses.
According to the Pikes Peak Continuum of Care, over 9,000 people in El Paso County told a government agency or a nonprofit they were homeless last year. But one local nonprofit says the first half of this year hasn’t gotten any better.
News5's Caroline Peters spoke with Beth Roalstad, the executive director of Homeward Pikes Peak, a local nonprofit that helps individuals and families with housing, mental health, and recovery.
She says the inflation that has impacted our nation over the past 6 months has impacted the people she serves. The inflation is stretching their budget to take care of food and gas, leaving not much left for rent and sending them into homelessness.
“I think there’s a myth that all people who don’t have a home are good for nothing lazy folk, and that’s just not it. We have so many people who call us who are working, who are employed, and they just are stressed beyond their capacity right now, and they’re falling into homelessness,” said Roalstad.
According to Pikes Peak Continuum of Care, from January through May of this year, the monthly average of homeless veterans and homeless people ages 15-24 increased by 20% since last year.
The El Paso County Department of Human Services reported over 4,000 households self-identified as homeless, receiving SNAP Food Assistance in Feb. of 2022. That’s a 15% increase from Feb. 2021 and a 40% increase from Feb. of 2019
Anyone who needs help can call Homeward Pikes Peak at (719) 473-5557.
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