Number of homeless in Hampden County rose in 2024

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The number of homeless people in Hampden County has risen, according to data conducted by the Springfield-Hampden County Continuum of Care .

On January 31st (point-in-time count), 2,901 people were identified as homeless in Hampden County, up 8.1% from January 2023. The City of Springfield said that the majority of the people counted were staying in the state’s family emergency shelter system, operated by several providers in multiple locations throughout Hampden County.

Of the 2,901 homeless total, 2,346 people were housed in a family shelter with 1,355 children under 18, up 12% from last year. The 555 individuals without children is a decrease of 5.9% from 2023.

Take a look at the numbers in Hampden County :

• In 2024, there were 2,901 homeless people counted.
• In 2023, there were 2,683 homeless people counted.
• In 2022, there were 2,294 homeless people counted.

Springfield-Hampden County Continuum of Care 2024 Homeless Point-in-Time Count

With shelters at capacity, the state continues to look at ways to solve the problem including helping local families and recent migrants coming to Massachusetts. The City of Springfield says that the data showed 177 were living outside or in a place unfit for human habitation, an increase of 62 unsheltered in 2023.

Gerry McCafferty, Springfield’s Director of Housing and administrator of the Springfield-Hampden County Continuum of Care, states: “Unfortunately, we are not surprised by the overall increase in homelessness. Like the rest of Massachusetts and much of the nation, Hampden County does not have enough housing units, which has led to dramatic rent increases in the last few years. At the same time, the influx of federal and state assistance available during the COVID-19 pandemic has now been exhausted, so we have fewer resources to help. These factors come together to drive more people into homelessness and make it harder for people to get back into housing.”

Affordable Homes Act in Massachusetts

The Affordable Homes Act would invest $4.12 billion over the next five years into creating new housing units, restoring public housing, and turning state-owned land into housing zones. It is estimated that this proposal could create more than 40,000 new housing unit, including 22,000 new homes for low-income households and 12,000 new homes for middle-income households, funding such non-profit groups like Valley Community Development, to build those homes in western Massachusetts.

“We know the answer to homelessness is housing,” said Pamela Schwartz, Director of the Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness. “The Affordable Homes Act is a historic opportunity to address the housing crisis in Hampden County and across the Commonwealth.” The Legislature must pass the bill by July 31, when the formal Legislative Session ends.

The Massachusetts Congressional delegation announced $155 million in new funding is headed to the state from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. All that money will be divided up between 38 communities. A number of western Massachusetts communities will benefit including Springfield, Holyoke, Pittsfield, Chicopee, Northampton, and Westfield.

Caseworkers have helped 935 homeless people in need of housing, treatment programs, or medical care in the last 12 months before the 2024 count.

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