A Census of persons experiencing homelessness in the State of Louisiana was conducted during the last week of January 2012.  On January 23rd, 2012, 7,771 men, women, and children were identified  as residing on the street or in temporary housing, including emergency homeless shelters, transitional housing, and Safe Havens.This is defined as  literal homelessness by the U.s. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the largest Federal funder of housing programs for homeless persons.   Data derived from the Homeless Census is a critical “snapshot” of homelessness and the services that are in place to respond. Obtaining this information is imperative to better understand how homelessness is
changing, to measure the efficacy of these service networks, and to inform the public at large. Building upon the understanding and experiences of the local Continua of Care, findings from the 2012 Homeless Census will be used to shape decisions made by local, state, and federal partners as we progress towards the goal of preventing and ending homelessness. The report is inclusive of all Continua of Care in Louisiana; the Northlake Homeless Coalition covers Region IX (LA-506).

Download Full Report –  A Single Night Counts: Homelessness in Louisiana