Point in Time Report Insights on SA Homeless Population

POINT IN TIME 2012 REPORT
By:
Kaela Dickens, Shelby Douglas, Samantha Gonzalez
Savannah Martinez and Laura Sandling
TRINITY UNIVERSITY
As a part of Trinity University
Class on Applied Social Statistics
Under the supervision of Amy Stone Ph.D.
For additional information and questions please contact amy.stone@trinity.edu

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents.......................................................................................................................1
Table of Figures .........................................................................................................................2
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Homeless Heads of Households.................................................................................................4
General Demographics of the Homeless................................................................................4
Causes of Homelessness ........................................................................................................6
Needs of Homeless Heads of Households .............................................................................9
Homeless Men and Women.....................................................................................................12
Demographics and Causes of Homelessness .......................................................................12
Services Needed for Homeless Men and Women................................................................18
Homeless Families...................................................................................................................19
Preliminary Homeless Family Characteristics.....................................................................19
Chronically Homeless Families...........................................................................................21
Reasons Why Families Become Homeless..........................................................................22
Requested Services ..............................................................................................................23
Homeless Children, Teenagers, and Youth..............................................................................24
Homeless Children...............................................................................................................24
Homeless Teenagers in a Family.........................................................................................26
Youths Who are Heads of Households ................................................................................26
Seniors, Veterans and the Chronically Homeless....................................................................28
Seniors..................................................................................................................................28
Veterans ...............................................................................................................................29
Chronically Homeless..........................................................................................................31
Conclusions..............................................................................................................................35

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TABLE OF FIGURES
Figure 1.1 Sheltered and Unsheltered Rates..............................................................................4
Figure 1.2 Household Demographics, Point in Time Survey 2012 ...........................................4
Figure 1.3 Homeless Adult Head of Household Demographics: Race, Gender, Employment,
and Disability.............................................................................................................................5
Figure 1.4 Reasons for Homelessness in Households ...............................................................6
Figure 1.5 Frequent Reasons for Homelessness among Hispanics............................................7
Figure 1.6 Most Frequent Reasons for Homelessness among Blacks .......................................7
Figure 1.7 Most Frequent Reasons for Homelessness among Whites.......................................8
Figure 1.8 Most Frequent Reasons for Homelessness among Other.........................................8
Figure 1.9 Most Frequent Needs of All Homeless Individuals .................................................9
Figure 1.10 Most Frequent Needs of All Sheltered Individuals ..............................................10
Figure 1.11 Most Frequent Needs of All Unsheltered Individuals..........................................10
Figure 2.1 Overview of Individual Men and Women..............................................................12
Figure 2.2 Race, Disability & Illness Individual Men and Women Demographics ................13
Figure 2.3 Reasons Given for Homelessness among Individual Men and Women.................13
Figure 2.4 Reasons Given for Homelessness for Individual Women......................................14
Figure 2.5 Reasons Given for Homelessness for Women by Race .........................................15
Figure 2.6 Reasons Given for Homelessness for Individual Men ...........................................16
Figure 2.7 Reasons Given for Homelessness for Men by Race...............................................17
Figure 2.8 Services Needed by Men and Women....................................................................18
Figure 3.1: Race of Parents for Homeless Families.................................................................19
Figure 3.2: Amount of Children in Homeless Families...........................................................20
Figure 3.3 Disabilities Reported by the Heads of Household..................................................20
Figure 3.4 Average Incomes of All Homeless Families..........................................................21
Figure 3.5: Top 5 Reasons of Homelessness for Families.......................................................22
Figure 3.6: Top 5 Reasons of Homelessness for Chronically Homeless Families ..................22
Figure 3.7: Services Requested by Homeless Families ...........................................................23
Figure 4.1: Homeless Children Population Broken Down According to Race/Ethnicity........24
Figure 4.2: Homeless Children Population Broken Down According to Age Group .............25
Figure 4.3: Whether the Child has a History with Foster Care According to Age Group.......26
Figure 5.1 The Demographics of Seniors ................................................................................29
Figure 5.2 The Demographics of Veterans..............................................................................30
Figure 5.3 Reasons for Homelessness among Seniors, Veterans and the Chronically
Homeless..................................................................................................................................31
Figure 5.4 The Demographics of Chronically Homeless Individuals......................................32
Figure 5.5 Homeless Individuals’ Most Wanted Services.......................................................33

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INTRODUCTION
Trinity University students from Dr. Amy Stone’s course in Applied Social Statistics
helped assess the demographic characteristics and needs of the homeless population in
conjunction with the City of San Antonio and South Alamo Regional Alliance for the
Homeless (SARAH). The group of Trinity students had the opportunity to participate in the
2012 Point in Time Count and Survey assessment and subsequently analyzed the data
collected from the respondents. The main goal in creating the Point in Time report is to
provide demographic information to the City of San Antonio and homeless care providers in
order to fully comprehend and fulfill the needs of the homeless population in San Antonio.
This year’s Point in Time Survey gathered information from 1,315 homeless heads of
households, who provided information on 1,843 individuals in total, including 524 children
Our report will offer information on demographic characteristics of the homeless, their
reasons for homelessness, their general needs, and suggestions for improvement of homeless
care providers programs. More in-depth analysis is provided on homeless heads of
households, families, veterans, the chronically homeless, children, and unaccompanied
minors.

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HOMELESS HEADS OF HOUSEHOLDS
General Demographics of the Homeless
This section of the report provides general demographic information of respondents
who answered the survey as the head of their household. This year, 1,315 homeless head of
households were surveyed, who provided living information of a total of 1,843 individuals.
Figure 1.1 provides an overview of the living situation of the homeless in San Antonio.
Figure 1.1 Sheltered and Unsheltered Rates
Demographic Characteristic Number (N=1843) % of Individuals
Sheltered 1584 85.9%
Unsheltered 259 14.1%
Overall, percentages of people living in a shelter were similar to last year’s. People
living unsheltered or at Prospect’s Courtyard correlated with last year’s percentages.
Figure 1.2 provides an overview of the characteristics of all households represented
in the Point in Time Survey. The average household did not have children, was sheltered, had
spent over half the last month in a shelter, and earned less than $350 a month. The household
demographic percentages roughly paralleled last year’s 2011 PIT surveys and the average
household demographic stayed the same.
Figure 1.2 Household Demographics, Point in Time Survey 2012
Demographic Characteristic Number (N=1315) % of Households
Households with children 183 13.9%
From San Antonio 557 45.8%
Homeless more than one year 451 37.0%
Homeless more than 4 times in the last 4 years 257 22.4%
Spent over half the last month in a shelter 904 77.3%
Earn less than $350 a month 484 52.7%
Have been turned away from a shelter at some
point in their life
283 24.6%
Have a government ID 1035 87.6%
Figure 1.3 offers demographic information on homeless heads of households, which
includes racial, gender, employment, and disability make-up.

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Figure 1.3 Homeless Adult Head of Household Demographics: Race, Gender,
Employment, and Disability
Demographic Characteristic Number (N=1315) % of Head of Households
Men 786 62.2%
Women 453 35.8%
White 471 38.5%
Hispanic 422 34.5%
Black 240 19.6%
Mentally Ill 440 36.8%
Physically Ill 427 34.8%
Disabled 390 32.1%
HIV/AIDS 24 2.0%
Currently Employed 384 30.2%
The average homeless individual was a 33.9 year-old White male. The median age of
homeless individuals was 44.5 years old. Over one-third of the homeless heads of household
report a mental or physical illness. Also, over one-third of them are disabled. A majority of
homeless heads of household are unemployed with only 30.2% of them being employed.

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Causes of Homelessness
According to the 2012 Point in Time Survey, the main reason for homelessness was
due to loss of job or income. Figure 1.4 breaks down the main reasons for homelessness of
households.
Figure 1.4 Reasons for Homelessness in Households
The second most common response for homelessness in households was family
issues. The third most common response was ‘other’, which includes a variety of reasons that
weren’t possible options in the survey. The most common responses for those individuals
who answered ‘other’ as their reason for homelessness was health issues and complications,
divorce, familial disputes, or child support. It’s worth noting that the categories of family
issues, substance abuse, and mental illness were added to this year’s survey because of
suggestions from the 2011 PIT survey. A suggestion for next year’s PIT is to possibly expand
the category of “family issues” by creating the subcategories listed above. Other common
responses were the plummeting job market and natural disasters. Many individuals reported
or wrote that their physical health impeded them from obtaining a job, therefore causing their
lack of income.
0.5%
0.6%
8.5%
9.8%
10.5%
10.7%
15.4%
15.8%
20.4%
42%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Teen Pregnancy
Released from…
Domestic Violence
Mental Illness
Eviction
Substance Abuse
Other
Family Issues
Loss of income/job
% of
Households

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Due to the high percentages of individuals who listed ‘other’ as their reason for
homelessness, a suggestion for next year’s Point in Time Survey is that it include additional
options such as health complications and divorce.
Additionally, we compared percentages of the different reasons for homeless among
different races. Figure 1.5 through Figure 1.8 compares the percentages for Hispanics,
Blacks, Whites, and Other respectively. The Other category includes individuals who are
American Indians, Asians, or any other race not specified.
Figure 1.5 Frequent Reasons for Homelessness among Hispanics
Reason % of Hispanic Head of Households
(N=421)
Loss of job/income 42% (N=177)
Family issues 22.6% (N=95)
Domestic violence 16.4% (N=69)
Other 15.2% (N=64)
Evicted 12.6% (N=53)
Substance abuse 12.4% (N=52)
Mental illness 10.9% (N=46)
Released from prison, hospital, or rehab 8.8% (N=37)
Aged out of foster care 1% (N=4)
Teen pregnancy 1% (N=4)
Figure 1.6 Most Frequent Reasons for Homelessness among Blacks
Reason % of Black Head of Households (N=238)
Loss of job/income 45.8% (N=109)
Family issues 21% (N=50)
Other 15.5% (N=37)
Evicted 9.2% (N=22)
Teen pregnancy 0% (N=0)

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Figure 1.7 Most Frequent Reasons for Homelessness among Whites
Reason % of White Head of Households
(N=471)
Other 16.6% (N=78)
Evicted 9.8% (N=46)
Aged out of foster care 0.6% (N=3)
Teen pregnancy 0.4% (N=2)
Figure 1.8 Most Frequent Reasons for Homelessness among Other
Reason % of Other Head of Households
(N=82)
Other 21.7% (N=18)
Domestic violence 12% (N=10)
Evicted 11% (N=9)
Teen pregnancy 2.4% (N=2)
For the most part all households followed the general trend for reasons for
homelessness, regardless of race. Something worth noting is that one of the differences
among the general trend is that among the White households their second most frequent
reason for homelessness was substance abuse, while the second most frequent reason of all
races was family issues. Something else worth noting is that among the Hispanic households,
their third most frequent reason was domestic violence, while domestic violence was not even

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in the top five reasons for all races. Regardless of what is causing these issues, more insight
should be provided to help alleviate them.
Needs of Homeless Heads of Households
Figure 1.9 shows what the most frequent needs are as indicated by all of the
respondents. This year, more emphasis on housing was placed as a service needed by all
households than the previous year. This could be due to the increase in unsheltered
respondents for this Point in Time Survey. Job training remained as the second most needed
service as indicated by all respondents. Aside from wanting an increase in the services
mentioned, many respondents wanted more awareness of the programs and benefits available
to them. Also, it is worth noting that the Affordable Housing and Dental options are new to
the 2012 PIT survey as a result of last year’s suggestions.
Figure 1.9 Most Frequent Needs of All Homeless Individuals
Need % of Households
Affordable Housing 47.8%
Job Training 39.4%
Permanent Housing 38.8%
Transitional Housing 36.3%
Transportation 29.9%
Medical 28.8%
Dental 27.8%
Emergency Shelter 27.3%
Mental Health 24%
Food Stamps 23.6%
Other 23.4%
Figure 1.10 shows the most frequent needs of sheltered individuals only. Housing is a
more prevalent need among the sheltered community than the entire homeless population.
The only need among the sheltered community that was different from the entire homeless
community was legal assistance.

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Figure 1.10 Most Frequent Needs of All Sheltered Individuals
Need % of Head of Households
Affordable Housing 60%
Permanent Housing 48.7%
Job Training 44.6%
Transportation 35%
Dental 34.3%
Medical 32.4%
Emergency Shelter 30%
Food Stamps 27.8%
Mental Health 27.5%
Legal Assistance 27.5%
Figure 1.11 shows the most frequent needs of unsheltered individuals only. The large
percentage of the Unsheltered respondents who claimed ‘other’ as something that was needed
is most likely because the Unsheltered survey allowed individuals to write in what they
needed. The inconsistency in the Sheltered vs. Unsheltered survey set up is most likely the
cause for this discrepancy. A suggestion for next year’s Point in Time Survey is to have the
same needs section for both sheltered and unsheltered respondents.
Figure 1.11 Most Frequent Needs of All Unsheltered Individuals
Need % of Head of Households
Other 79%
Job Training 21.6%
Food Bank 21.2%
Emergency Shelter 18%
Medical 16.3%
Transportation 12%
Mental Health 11.7%
Food Stamps 8.8%
Clothes 6%
Affordable Housing 5.7%

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Most frequent verbatim responses for all homeless individuals included elderly
shelters, single mother shelters, computer access, telephone access, and counseling services.
Specifically among the unsheltered homeless population, many indicated that they wanted
more bed availability and roof enclosure and Prospect’s Courtyard.

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HOMELESS MEN AND WOMEN
Demographics and Causes of Homelessness
This section of the report provides general demographic information of individual
men and women who answered the survey. Individual men and women were homeless
persons who answered that either they did not have children, or that their children did not live
with them. 439 men and 228 women were surveyed for a total of 667 individuals. Figure 2.1
depicts an overview of the characteristics of all individuals represented in the survey.
Figure 2.1 Overview of Individual Men and Women
Demographic Characteristic
N of
Men
% of Men
(N = 439)
N of
Women
% of Women
(N = 228)
Sheltered 399 91.3% 224 98.2%
Unsheltered 38 8.7% 4 1.8%
From San Antonio 186 43.0% 100 44.4%
From Outside San Antonio 247 57.0% 125 55.6%
Homeless more than 1 year 178 41.5% 66 29.6%
Homeless more than 4 times in last
3 years
90 21.7% 46 20.8%
Spent over half the last month in a
shelter
310 74.7% 194 88.6%
Did not spend any nights in a shelter
last month
68 16.4% 7 3.2%
The average homeless male was sheltered, from outside San Antonio area, had been
homeless for over a year and had spent over half last month in a shelter. The same trends
apply the average homeless female, although she has not been homeless for over a year.
Continually, the following figure, Figure 2.2, represents more detailed information on
homeless men and women and their racial and health characteristics. The average homeless
male was a 47.42 year-old White man and the average homeless female was a 44.46 year-old
White woman. A large percentage of both homeless men and women are disabled and/or
suffer from physical and mental illnesses.

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Figure 2.2 Race, Disability & Illness Individual Men and Women Demographics
Demographic
Characteristic N of Men
% of Men
(N = 439)
N of Women
% of Women
(N = 228)
White 198 46.0% 89 39.7%
Hispanic 127 29.5% 60 26.8%
Black 82 19.1% 50 22.3%
American Indian 5 1.2% 7 3.1%
Asian 2 0.5% 3 1.3%
Disabled 172 40.1% 88 39.5%
Physical Illness 181 42.1% 91 40.1%
Mental Illness 187 43.3% 108 47.6%
HIV Positive 15 3.4% 2 0.9%
Regarding reasons given for homelessness, loss of income or job was the most
frequent option selected for both men and women, yet striking differences exist when it
comes to domestic violence, family issues, release from prison/hospital/rehab and eviction.
Women are 8 times as likely as men to become homeless due to domestic violence.
Continually, they are nearly twice as likely to be exposed to other forms of family issues.
Lastly, for every 2 men that are evicted and become homeless, there are 3 women evicted and
subsequently homeless.
Figure 2.3 Reasons Given for Homelessness among Individual Men and Women
Reasons Given
N of Men
% of Men
(N = 439)
N of Women
% of Women
(N = 228)
Loss of income or job 198 45.1% 109 48.0%
Evicted for reasons other
than nonpayment of rent
42 9.6% 36 15.9%
Domestic violence 11 2.5% 37 16.4%
Release from prison,
hospital or rehab
55 12.6% 14 6.2%
Teen pregnancy 3 0.7% 1 0.4%
Family issues [not domestic
violence]
70 15.9% 65 28.6%
Substance abuse 100 22.8% 42 18.5%
Mental health 67 15.3% 35 15.4%
Aged out or left foster care 2 0.5% 2 0.9%

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For women, many reasons given for homeless seem to be issues intertwined with
family life, or dependencies that conflicted with family life. Figure 2.4, below depicts the
three most frequent reasons given for homelessness amongst individual women.
Figure 2.4 Reasons Given for Homelessness for Individual Women
Figure 2.4 shows that women choose Family Issues as the most common reason for
homelessness besides Loss of Income. Of women that selected Family Issues, Substance
Abuse or Domestic Violence, nearly a fifth (18.6%) of individual women surveyed listed
some combination of these reasons.

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Figure 2.5, below, depicts the top three reasons given for homelessness for woman
split by race. According to the figure, White women are most likely to list Family Issues or
Substance Abuse, while Hispanic women are most likely to list Domestic Violence.
Figure 2.5 Reasons Given for Homelessness for Women by Race
` These racial differences in reasons for homelessness are interesting. For example,
according to Figure 2.5, there are not racial differences in the experience of domestic
violence except for in the case of Hispanic women. Hispanic women are over twice as likely
to be victims of domestic violence as their White, Black or Other counterparts. Continually,
White women seem to experience significantly higher levels of Substance Abuse. White
women are three times more likely to choose Substance Abuse than all other races.

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Regarding homeless individual men, the most frequent reasons given for
homelessness were Family Issues, Substance Abuse and Release from Prison, Rehab or
Hospital. These issues are highlighted in Figure 2.6 below.
Figure 2.6 Reasons Given for Homelessness for Individual Men
Interestingly men are much more likely than women to become homeless due to
Substance Abuse or Release from Prison, Rehab or Hospital. Continually, 9% of men listed a
combination of Substance Abuse and Release from Prison, Rehab or Hospital. Family Issues
were also a prevalent cause of homelessness among men.
Figure 2.7, on the next page lists the three most frequent reasons given for
homelessness by men, depicted by race. White men hold the highest percentages in each
category indicating they make up the greatest portion of men who list Family Issues (15.8%),
Substance Abuse (23%), and Release from Prison, Hospital or Rehab (9.8%). White men are
twice as likely to choose Substance Abuse as all other races.

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Figure 2.7 Reasons Given for Homelessness for Men by Race
Continually, Figure 2.7 shows that men’s most frequent reasons given for
homelessness, besides Loss of Income, center around issues that pull men away from their
families. Like women, these issues are relative to their families, and in most cases, seem to be
destructive enough to drive them out of their homes. It is noteworthy that both Substance
Abuse and Family Issues were indicated by men and women as top three reasons given for
homelessness.
Lastly, as Family Issues was a newly added category, it may prove useful to break it
into smaller sections. It was a popular option for both men and women, yet for women it was
coupled tied to substance abuse and domestic abuses. For men, it seemed that Family Issues
were essentially conflicts between their substance abuse and their families, or a result of their
substance abuse removing them from their families.

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Services Needed for Homeless Men and Women
Homeless individuals sought a variety of services, both in options given on the
surveys, and in verbatim responses. Below is Figure 2.6, which outlines all services, listed on
the surveys, and accompanying numbers and percentages.
Figure 2.8 Services Needed by Men and Women
Services Needed
N of Men
% of Men
(N = 439)
N of Women
% of Women
(N = 228)
Emergency Shelter 118 26.9% 74 32.5%
Transitional Housing 184 41.9% 92 40.4%
Permanent Housing 168 38.3% 38 51.8%
Affordable Housing 230 52.4% 148 64.9%
Rehab, Prison, Hospital 94 21.4% 44 19.3%
Medical 117 26.7% 89 39.0%
Dental 128 29.2% 89 39.0%
Mental Health 141 32.1% 71 31.1%
AIDS Services 48 10.9% 21 9.2%
Food Bank 94 21.4% 50 21.9%
Food Stamps 125 28.5% 69 30.3%
Clothes 95 21.6% 48 21.1%
Transportation 128 29.2% 101 44.3%
Childcare 59 13.4% 42 18.4%
Job Training 195 44.4% 99 43.4%
Classes 91 20.7% 40 17.5%
Veteran’s Benefits 110 25.1% 33 14.5%
TANF 38 8.7% 25 11.0%
Legal Assistance 121 27.6% 62 27.2%
SSDI 127 28.9% 46 20.2%
This figure indicates that individual men and women differ only when it comes to
specific services. Affordable housing is sought by both genders, yet women are around 10%
more likely to select Transportation, Medical and Dental services. Furthermore, over 50% of
women indicated a need for Permanent Housing while over 50% of men indicated either
SSDI or Veteran’s Benefits. These requested services seem to indicate an engendered
homeless experience. In fact, both Figures 2.3 and 2.6 show that women become homeless
for reasons different than those selected by men, and that they require and request different
services.

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HOMELESS FAMILIES
Preliminary Homeless Family Characteristics
Out of 1,315 surveys collected during the 2012 Point-in-Time (PIT) survey, 224
(17.0%) were families, or indicated they had 2 or more people in a household. According to
this year’s data, these 224 families consisted of 832 people. Conversely, in the 2011 PIT
survey, only 1,117 surveys were received but 239 were homeless families. In the 2012 PIT
survey, homeless families were disproportionately Hispanic ethnicity compared to Black and
White. Figure3.1 shows that 138 (62.7%) parents were most commonly Hispanic, followed
by Black and White. Children’s ethnicity will be analyzed in a separate section.
Figure 3.1: Race of Parents for Homeless Families

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Homeless families usually had between one to three children. The largest homeless
family consisted of 9 people, a two parent family with 7 children. However, the average
number of children in a homeless family was 2.41 and the most frequent number of children
in the household was 3 (Figure 3.2).
Figure 3.2: Amount of Children in Homeless Families
Number of Children per
Family
Frequency
(N=224)
Percent of All Families
%
0 7 3.1%
1 57 25.4%
2 62 27.7%
3 65 29.0%
4 15 6.7%
5 7 3.1%
6 8 3.6%
7 3 1.3%
Most homeless families were single-parent families headed by a Hispanic mother. Out
of the 224 families, 164 (73.2%) of the households were headed by women. Surveys
indicated that 141 homeless families were headed by single parents and 124 were both female
and single parents. Minority women were the largest group that consisted of single parents.
Hispanic (67.1%) and Black women (17.9) were the most common.
In general, the adult is more likely to be disabled than their children. Figure 3.3
shows the disabilities reported by the head of household for single parents and non-single
parents. The most common disabilities in single- parent household were mental illness
followed by physical illness. In two parent households, physical illness and disabled were
cited most frequently. No adults in the homeless families indicated they were HIV/AIDS
positive or used drugs.
Figure 3.3 Disabilities Reported by the Heads of Household
Disability
Percent of Single Parents
(N=141)
Percent of Non-Single Parents
N= 61
Mental Illness 19.3% 8.3%
Physical Illness 13.6% 16.7%
Disabled (not specific) 6.5% 15.0%
Probation 6.4% 10.0%

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Chronically Homeless Families
To be defined as a chronically homeless family, families must be homeless for more
than a year or homeless for four or more times during three years. In addition to meeting both
of these criteria, the family must have at least one adult member who has a disability
condition. Only 89 people or 24 homeless families in the PIT survey out of possible 224
(10%) could be classified as chronically homeless due to these criteria. The number went
down considerably compared to the 2011 PIT survey where 61 families were considered
chronically homeless. Eighty-three families have been homeless for more than a year or four
or more times during the year, many of the adults did not report any disabilities. Eighteen
(81.8%) of chronically homeless families were headed by women.
Both chronically homeless and non-chronically homeless families share similar
incomes. The average household income for chronically homeless families was $500+ per
month (47.6%). For non-chronically homeless families, the average income was also $500+
(50.5%) (Figure 3.4).
Figure 3.4 Average Incomes of All Homeless Families
42.9%
9.5%
47.6%
34.0%
15.1%
51.0%
$0-$350 $351-$500 500+
Chronically Homeless Non-Chronically Homeless

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Reasons Why Families Become Homeless
This year, results from the 2012 PIT survey, for both chronically and non-chronically
homeless families, loss of income was the most reported reason for homelessness. Figure3. 5
shows the reasons for homelessness for all homeless families and Figure 3. 6 shows the top
five reasons for chronically homeless families. However, chronically homeless families
reported higher levels of domestic violence as well as citing substance abuse, mental health,
and released from prison as reasons of homelessness. Responses for “other” included health
problems and splitting from spouse.
Figure 3.5: Top 5 Reasons of Homelessness for Families
Figure 3.6: Top 5 Reasons of Homelessness for Chronically Homeless Families
43.4%
27.1% 26.2%
14.5% 12.7%
Loss of
Income or Job
Family Issues
(not domestic
violence)
Domestic
Violence
Other Evicted for
reasons other
than non
payment of
rent
37.5%
33.3%
20.8% 20.8% 20.8%
16.7%
12.5%
Loss of
Income or
Job
Domestic
violence
Family
issues (not
domestic
violence)
Other Substance
Abuse
Mental
Health
Released
from
prison

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Requested Services
The most frequently requested services by both chronic and non-chronically homeless
families were housing. It is clear from Table 2 that affordable housing, permanent housing,
and transitional housing were a big priority for homeless families (73.9%, 69.4%, and 57.2%,
respectively). Additionally, results indicate that families are interested in job training and job
placement, with 48.2% of respondents saying that more of these services should be available
for the homeless in Bexar County/San Antonio. Subsequently, 47.3% of families feel that the
area needed to provide more child care for the homeless.
Figure 3.7: Services Requested by Homeless Families
Service Number
(N=224)
Percent
Affordable Housing 164 73.9%
Permanent Housing 154 69.4%
Transitional Housing 127 57.2%
Job Training/Placement 107 48.2%
Child Care 105 47.3%
Dental 90 40.7%
Medical 84 37.8%
Transportation 82 36.9%
Emergency Shelter 75 33.8%
Legal Assistance 62 27.9%
Food Stamps 54 24.3%
GED/English Classes 52 23.4%
Clothes 48 21.6%
Food Bank/Kitchen 44 19.8%
Mental Health 41 18.5%
Social Security Disability
(SSDI)
35 15.8%
TANF 31 14.0%
Substance Abuse 23 10.4%
Veterans Benefits 17 7.7%
HIV/AIDS 12 5.4%

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HOMELESS CHILDREN, TEENAGERS, AND YOUTH
Homeless Children
The 2012 PIT survey counted a total of 524 homeless children, roughly the same
amount as the 2011 survey, which counted a total of 531 children. Our survey focused on
children that were a part of a family unit. As such, the surveys that pertain to childhood
homelessness are surveys that were passed out to homeless shelters throughout Bexar County
and were subsequently filled out by the parents of these children. What we have learned is
that the average homeless child is most likely to be Hispanic, female, and between the ages of
0-6 years old. Furthermore, it is more likely for a child to be absent from school if they are
between the ages of 7-10.
As shown in Figure 4.1, Hispanics make up the vast majority of homeless children,
constituting 63.9%, an increase from the 55.5% last year. Black children account for the
second largest ethnic group, followed by whites, and then American Indians. However, race
appears to have no impact on whether or not a child has been placed into foster care, nor does
there seem to be any relationship between race and mental illness, physical illness, or
enrollment in school.
Figure 4.1: Homeless Children Population Broken Down According to
Race/Ethnicity
Race/Ethnicity Percentage
Hispanic 63.90%
Black 18.00%
White 10%
Other 6.80%
American Indian 1.20%
However, unlike last year’s survey, we found we have found is that an increasing
number of homeless children are little girls. Female children outnumber male children, with
females accounting for 53.5% of the homeless children population. This increase seems to
come from the 14-18 age group, in which females comprise majority of the demographic as
well as the 0-3 year olds, which is by far the largest age group. Moreover, female children are
more likely than male children to be placed in foster care; however male children are less

25
likely to be enrolled in school. Nevertheless with an increasing number of homeless children
being girls, we may expect to see childhood homelessness to become in increasingly
gendered issue in the future years.
As compared to last year’s survey, there was an increase in the mean age for
homeless children from 6.3 years to 8 years and an increase in the median age from 5 to 8 as
well. The age group that seems to constitute the highest percentage of homeless children are
the toddlers and infants between the ages of 0-3. This group alone makes up over a quarter of
the homeless children surveyed, as demonstrated by Figure 4.2 As such, we should expect a
high demand for childcare and programs oriented towards homeless families with young
children.
Figure 4.2: Homeless Children Population Broken Down According to Age Group
While most homeless children are enrolled in school (95%), the remaining percentage
of children that are absent from school, are mostly young boys in between the ages of 7-10.
As it were, age plays the most influential role in determining whether or not a child was
enrolled in school. Of those children who are absent from school (taking into account that
they are of proper age), 43% were between 7-10 years old; while all children that fell into the
ages 14-18 were enrolled, making it the age group with the highest percentage of children

26
still active in school. As such, age is the greatest indicative factor as to determining the
likelihood of a child being enrolled in school.
Homeless Teenagers in a Family
There are a total of 103 teenagers (ages 13-19) that are a part of a family unit
accounted for in our data. Overall, teenagers that live with their families seem to be less at
risk for narcotics. We found that there were no recorded cases of substance or alcohol abuse.
As for additional problems facing teens, there was only one teenager recorded as being under
probation. There were no cases of substance or alcohol abuse. Two teenage girls were
pregnant, and five teenagers have a physical illness, and ten have a mental illness. Five
teenagers are also disabled. However, our survey shows that placement in foster care is much
more common, especially among older teenagers. A recorded 14.5% of homeless children
between the ages of 14-18 were recorded as being in foster care at least once (See Figure
4.3).
Figure 4.3: Whether the Child has a History with Foster Care According to Age
Group
Foster Care N= 31 Percentage that has been in foster care
0-3 years old 2 1.80%
4-6 years old 6 6.80%
7-10 years old 7 7.40%
11-13 years old 5 6.80%
14-18 years old 11 14.50%
Youths Who are Heads of Households
While our data has no cases of unaccompanied minors recorded, we did find 15 cases
of youth heads of households (Y.H.O.H.). It should be noted that all of these teenagers are
legal adults (ages 18-19). Of these 15 teenagers, 3 had been in foster care. By far, the most
stated cause for homelessness by the Y.H.O.H. group was family issues. In fact, 1 out 2 of
these youths named this as a reason for their homelessness. In addition, 2 females stated that
their teen pregnancy had led to their homelessness. Only 2 youths that were heads of
households were recorded as working more than 30 hours a week, showing that this group is
greatly under employed Mental illness is commonplace for Y.H.O.H. (53%). And while there
were no recorded accounts of teenagers who live with their families drinking alcohol or
taking drugs, 2 Y.H.O.H. admitted to drinking alcohol daily. Also, 1 out of every 3 these

27
teenagers was likely to use drugs or be on probation. Overall, virtually every one of these
youths was at risk for some sort of physical or mental disability, or substance abuse. It should
be noted that mental and physical illness were presented at a much higher frequencies in
youths that were Y.H.O.H. than teenagers or children who were still a part of a family unit.
Our data has shown that what age group a homeless child falls into is the greatest
determinate of what type of obstacles that child will face. For children between the ages of 6-
10, the greatest threat facing them is failure to be enrolled in school. For older children and
teenagers, many of whom have a history with foster care, the threat of substance abuse
increases with age. Moreover, teenagers that were not attached to a family (Y.H.O.H.) were
at a higher risk for substance abuse than teenagers that were a part of a family unit. As such,
these teenagers that are Y.H.O.H. and have mental and/or physical disabilities could
potentially become chronically homeless within the next couple of years.

28
SENIORS, VETERANS AND THE CHRONICALLY
HOMELESS
This section details the analysis of three closely related groups within the homeless
population of San Antonio. The most obvious are seniors and veterans: those above age 62,
and those who served on active duty in the US Armed Forces or the National
Guard/Reserves. The chronically homeless population overlaps greatly with these two groups
due to corresponding criteria. Many of the senior citizens are veterans and are also
chronically homeless. First, we will discuss seniors, then move on to veterans and, finally,
chronically homeless individuals.
Seniors
There are 84 homeless seniors surveyed of 1094 homeless single adults, comprising
7.7% of homeless single adults. Seven out of 10 surveyed seniors are male, and their ages
range from 62 to 81, the average being 66 years old. Of this group, 7 out of 10 are sheltered
and 2 out of 10 sleep in Prospect’s Courtyard. Thus, the typical senior is a white or Hispanic
male of 66 years old living in a sheltered situation; he probably has a physical illness or
disability and is unemployed. Almost half of seniors (39) are veterans of the US Army or the
Reserves (mostly having served in the Vietnam War). As previously mentioned, 68% have
either a disability or a physical illness, and 29% report being diagnosed with a mental illness
at one time. Only 10.4% of the seniors are employed, while 35% requested job
training/placement services. Compared to other homeless adult individuals, seniors are
significantly more often from other countries (20%), much less likely to be employed, and are
less likely to be sheltered (See Figure 5.1).
As demonstrated in Figure 5.3, Seniors were most likely to become homeless this
time due to loss of job or income. The second-most-common reason was being evicted for a
reason other than non-payment of rent, which was not nearly as common for the other
homeless adults, veterans or the chronically homeless. These two reasons were followed by
family issues, substance abuse and release from prison, which were all fairly common in the
other three groups.
Housing (affordable, permanent housing and transitional housing, in that order) was
by far the biggest concern for seniors. Over a third of seniors requested some type of housing,
job training and mental health services. About a fourth of seniors requested emergency
shelters, medical, dental, and legal assistance, Social Security Disability, food stamps, and

29
transportation aid. A fifth of seniors requested Veterans’ benefits and classes (see Figure
5.5).
Figure 5.1 The Demographics of Seniors
Veterans
Veterans make up almost a quarter of the homeless householder population in San Antonio
(22.6%). They range from ages 23-81 with the vast majority between the ages of 40 and 65.
262 of the veterans are men and just 37 are women. Of all of the veterans, approximately 4
out of 10 served in the Vietnam War, 3 of 10 served during the 1980s (non-wartime), and 3 of
10 served in either the Gulf, Afghanistan or Iraq wars. (See Figure 5.2).
Consistent with the general adult homeless population, about a third of the veteran
population (37%) has been homeless for over a year, with the median being 9-12 months of
homelessness. Almost half of veterans report losing income or a job as a reason for their
homelessness this time (48.8%). This was by far the biggest reason for veteran homelessness.
The next most-common reasons were “substance abuse” (15.1%), “family issues (not
domestic violence)” (14.8%), and “mental health issues” (13.5%).
All Single
Homeless Seniors
(n=84)
All Single
Homeless Seniors
(n=84)
All Single
Homeless Adults
(n=1093)
Gender
Female 22 30.0% 32.2%
Male 60 70.0% 67.8%
Race
White 32 35.0% 42.7%
Hispanic 30 37.5% 29.8%
Black 15 17.5% 20.0%
Sheltered 58; 19 PCY 60.0% 74.0%
Employed 8 10.4% 25.6%
How long homeless?* 9-12 months 9-12 months 9-12 months
* "How long homeless?" defined by the 50th percentile on the question "how long have you been homeless?"

30
Figure 5.2 The Demographics of Veterans
Many veterans are both disabled and unemployed. Close to half of veterans report
being disabled (44.1%) as opposed to only 36.1% of non-veteran single adults, while a
similar proportion report having a mental illness (35.5%). A quarter reported being both
physically and mentally disabled (24.7%). Only 3 out of 10 veterans are employed, and over
half of those are under-employed (57.3%). Of those employed veterans, 54.8% identified job
training/placement as a desirable service, while only 45.4% of unemployed vets identified it
as such.
As demonstrated by Figure 5.5, affordable housing (closely followed by transitional
and permanent housing) is the most requested service with 47.1% for veterans. This is closely
followed by job training and placement (45.4%) and Veterans’ benefits (41.1%). Trailing
All Single
Homeless Veterans
(n=308)
All Single
Homeless Veterans
(n=308)
All Single
Homeless Adults
(n=1093)
Gender
Female 37 12.4% 32.2%
Male 262 87.6% 67.8%
Race
White 142 50.0% 42.7%
Hispanic 65 21.1% 29.8%
Black 60 19.5% 20.0%
Veterans of:
Korean War 1 0.5% -
Vietnam War 84 40.6% -
Gulf War 25 12.1% -
Afghanistan/Iraq Wars 15 9.2% -
Other Time* 82 36.2% -
Sheltered 221; 41 PCY 70.5% 70.9%
Employed 84 31.2% 26.5%
How long homeless?** - 9-12 months 9-12 months
* "Other Time" includes the time between the Vietnam and Gulf Wars, defined here as a start of service date
of 1976-1989, and the time between the Gulf War and the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars, defined here as a
service start date of 1992-1998. 30.4% of surveyed veterans served in '76-'89; just 5.8% served in '92-'98.
** "How long homeless?" defined by the 50th percentile on the question "how long have you been
homeless?"

31
behind but still with significant numbers are emergency shelter, mental health, dental, legal
assistance, and transportation. Veterans’ needs are fairly consistent with the larger homeless
adult population, except when it comes to their strong desire for Veterans’ Benefits and less
desire for more medical services.
Figure 5.3 Reasons for Homelessness among Seniors, Veterans and the
Chronically Homeless
To be identified as a chronically homeless individual, one must be a single homeless
adult who has been homeless either for over a year or more than four times over the past three
years, as well as have a disability. Within this study, disabilities included physical
disabilities, physical illness, mental disabilities (prior or present), alcoholism, drug use, and
HIV/AIDS. A quarter of San Antonio’s single homeless adults are chronically homeless
individuals (327/1093). As demonstrated by Figure 5.4, just over two-thirds of this
population sleeps in sheltered areas, but a quarter of this population also slept in Prospect’s
Courtyard (the night before the survey). Two-thirds of this group is male and one-third is
female, which is fairly consistent with the overall single homeless adult population. Half are
from the San Antonio/Bexar County area, and like seniors, veterans and the entire
All Single
Homeless
Adults
(n=1093)
Seniors
(n=84)
Veterans
(n=297)
Chronically
Homeless
Single
(n=327)
Loss of Job or Income 447 29 145 144
Family Issues 203 9 44 71
Substance Abuse 184 12 45 63
Mental Health 130 8 40 71
Evicted for reasons other than rent 110 15 29 37
Release from Prison, Rehab or
Hospital
104 7 22 44
Domestic Violence 70 4 10 41
Aged out or left Foster Care 6 1 1 3
Teen Pregnancy 4 1 1 1
Other 179 20 43 51

32
unaccompanied adult population, approximately 64% are from Texas. Notably, almost 7 out
of 10 chronically homeless individuals plan to remain in San Antonio for more than a year as
opposed to 6 out of 10 of the total adult population.
Figure 5.4 The Demographics of Chronically Homeless Individuals
Similar to seniors and veterans, the biggest reason for chronically homeless
individuals’ homelessness is due to loss of income or a job, applying to almost half of the
population (44%). This is most closely followed by family issues unrelated to domestic
violence, mental health issues and substance abuse (21.7%; 21.7%; 19.3%, respectively).
Interestingly, almost half of this population that identified an “other” reason for their
homelessness this time specified a health-related cause. These trends can be seen in Figure
5.3.
Single Adults
(n=327)
Single Adults
(n=327)
All Single
Homeless Adults
(n=1093)
Gender
Female 108 34.2% 28.5%
Male 208 65.8% 67.6%
Race
White 122 37.8% 43.7%
Hispanic 117 36.2% 28.4%
Black 58 19.5% 20.3%
Disabled by:
Mental Illness 215 65.7% 41.5%
Disability 202 61.8% 37.0%
Physical Illness 187 57.2% 39.3%
Alcoholism 54 16.5% 9.1%
Drugs 46 14.1% 8.4%
HIV/AIDS 11 3.4% 2.4%
Sheltered 230; 81 PCY 71.2% 70.9%
Employed 55 31.2% 26.5%
How long homeless?* - More than 1 year** 9-12 months
* "How long homeless?" defined by the 50th percentile on the question "how long have you been
homeless?"
**76% of Chronically Homeless Adult Individuals have been homeless for more than 1 year, as opposed
to 37% of All Single Homeless Adults.

33
The chronically homeless did not vary much in their top requested services. Figure
5.5 shows that job training was the most popular, elected by 37% of the chronically homeless
population. Housing requests averaged about 30% (transitional, affordable, housing, and
permanent housing; affordable housing was requested by 38%). Mental health, transportation,
medical and dental followed close behind.
Figure 5.5 Homeless Individuals’ Most Wanted Services
There is lots of overlap between homeless seniors, veterans and chronically homeless
individuals. All three populations are certainly older, with most individuals being between the
ages of 40 and 64. There are far more males than females in all three categories, but the
seniors and chronically homeless proportions of men to women are about the same as the
homeless single adult population. These older populations are most affected by mental and
physical disability, job instability or unemployment. Across the board, the most requested
services were housing, job training and placement, mental health help, and transportation.
All Single
Homeless
Adults
(n=1093)
Seniors
(n=84)
Veterans
(n=297)
Chronically
Homeless
Individuals
(n=327)
Affordable Housing 1 1 4 1
Job Training 2 3 2 2
Permanent Housing 3 2 1 10
Transitional Housing 4 3 5 3
Transportation 4 9 8 7
Medical 6 13 14 8
Emergency Shelter 7 6 6 6
Dental 8 9 9 9
Mental Health 9 5 7 5
Food Stamps 10 12 12 11
Food Bank/Food Kitchen 11 14 13 12
Legal Assistance 12 6 10 13
SSDI 13 6 11 13
Clothing 14 17 18 15
Classes 15 16 15 17
Rehab 16 20 16 16
Veterans' Benefits 17 15 3 18
Housing (Unsheltered option only) 18 11 19 4
Child Care 19 19 17 19
HIV/AIDS 20 18 20 20
TANF 21 21 21 21

34
The vast majority of the individuals surveyed this year plan on staying in San Antonio/Bexar
County for the next year, so we can plan to see them in the following annual survey.
According to the data, there is also a high likelihood that they will still be homeless, judging
by their ‘chronically homeless’ qualities as well as the apparent difficulty in finding steady,
full-time employment for seniors, veterans and the chronically homeless alike.

35
CONCLUSIONS
 Affordable, permanent, and transitional housing were the most requested service.
 The average household did not have children, was sheltered, had spent over half the
last month in a shelter, and earned less than $350 a month.
 Over one-third of the homeless heads of household report a mental or physical illness.
 Over one-third of them are disabled.
 The average homeless male was a 47.42 year-old White man and the average
homeless female was a 44.46 year-old White woman.
 A large percentage of both homeless men and women are disabled and/or suffer from
physical and mental illnesses.
 Women are 8 times as likely as men to become homeless due to domestic violence
 Women are nearly twice as likely to be exposed to other forms of family issues.
 Being attached to a family unit decreases the chance of substance abuse in teenagers.
 Out of 224 total families, 24 (10%) are chronically homeless families.
 Loss of income is the most common reason why families are homeless—chronically
homeless families also cited substance abuse, mental health, and release from prison.
 Almost 82% of chronically homeless families are headed by women.
 The majority of homeless families are Hispanic.
 The age group with the highest percentage of un-enrolled children in school was the
7-10 year olds.
 1 out of 2 teenagers that are heads of households recorded “family issues” as being
the cause for their homelessness.
 Teenagers that are heads of households are underemployed.
 Housing, Job Training/Placement and Mental Health and Transportation are the
biggest areas of need for seniors, veterans, and the chronically homeless alike.
 There is vast unemployment and underemployment among seniors, veterans and the
chronically homeless.
 The majority of seniors are disabled physically or mentally.
 Between 60-70% of seniors, veterans and the chronically homeless are sheltered.

Point in Time Report Insights on SA Homeless Population

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