The Lee County Homeless Coalition released its “Point in Time Homeless Snapshot” for 2023 earlier this month.

As expected, the count, conducted Jan. 23-28, four months after Hurricane Ian showed Southwest Floridians how easy it could be to find one’s self among the numbers showed an increase in those who were without permanent shelter.

An unprecedented increase of nearly 47 percent, which the Lee County Homeless Coalition attributes largely to “the current housing crisis, soaring rents and the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.”

This year, teams counted 820 individuals who were homeless in Lee County as of Jan. 28, including 556 who were unsheltered. The other 264, deemed sheltered, were living in a homeless encampment, an RV or another type of vehicle or place not meant for habitation.

They were, they are… us.

224 seniors

109 children

86 veterans, “a large increase over last year.”

56 domestic abuse survivors

286 with health-related issues

Among them, 197 met the HUD definition of chronically homeless.

The reason for the annual count is to “get an understanding of who and how many are experiencing homelessness in Lee County,” according to coalition officials.

The numbers are presented to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Children and Families and is also used to “gather the information that allows local service providers to target services to meet the specific needs of those experiencing homelessness in our communities.”

The count also helps Lee County secure money, including Continuum of Care funds from HUD.

“Lee County was awarded funding to sustain existing programs and begin new programs that provide housing and services to persons experiencing homelessness,” a release from the coalition states. “These programs are operated by Lee County Human and Veterans Services, Community Assisted and Supported Living, Catholic Charities, and Southwest Florida Connect SSO-CE. The total awarded amount was $2,012,619.”

Well and good — “well” as our reaction to a number that doesn’t touch the need, and “good” as in the efforts of the Lee County Homeless Coalition and sister agencies and efforts.

The challenge, as those in the field tell us, is preventing homelessness in an area where so many of us are just a few paychecks away from falling behind in the rent in a housing market so tight and so expensive that we may not be able to find another — much less cheaper — place to live.

Consider:

The Charlotte Community Foundation, Collaboratory and Collier County Foundation released the results of their joint On the Table SWFL 2023 Community Conversations report Thursday morning.

The No. 1 social issue marked as “most urgent” throughout Southwest Florida and individually by county in Lee, Charlotte, Collier, Hendry and Glades, was affordable housing and homelessness. Across the board. Seventy percent of the 4,000-plus taking part in the multiple “conversations” held on March 30 and the related survey listed this as a basic human need essential for communities to thrive.

Local governments do understand the need and have begun efforts to make affording housing a priority, not just a buzz phrase.

But “affordable housing,” as in government-funded or subsidized rental complexes, is an answer, not the answer.

Housing that seniors, singles, new families and the “workforce” demographic can afford to buy, to invest in, is.

This means a critical change in thinking as the market defines a new paradigm for the American Dream.

Regulatory thinking mandating minimum home size, ancillary structures and “allowable” housing options and construction.

Approach to housing cost add-ons, including taxes, fees and various tax bill levies dubbed assessments. Housing has become a cash cow milked too often and too well.

For make no mistake, the Homeless Coalition’s “Point in Time Homeless Snapshot” is just that, an acknowledged picture of a developing housing crisis that has the potential to change the image of Southwest Florida as a place where you can work and raise a family or comfortably retire.

Where you can have housing security. Where buying a home is an attainable goal. Where you can live where you work. Where you can enjoy the fruits of your labor, not just labor to live.

Housing that’s affordable is the goal.

Government’s role is to encourage it, not impede it.

— Breeze editorial