DOVER — About an hour and a half after the state Senate concluded its business on Wednesday, the chamber’s presiding officer, Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long, changed into her rainboots and made the trip to a tent encampment for the homeless.
The lieutenant governor made the trip as part of a statewide point-in-time count led by the Delaware Continuum of Care’s lead agency, Housing Alliance Delaware.
Annual point-in-time counts are a census of individuals experiencing homelessness in the state and include populations that are sheltered – like individuals living in transitional housing programs, code purple sanctuaries and hotels on behalf of the state – and the un-sheltered population, such as those living in encampments or on the street.
For 2023, the census showed that Delaware’s unsheltered population increased from 154 people in 2022 to 198, a 28% rise. According to the Delaware Continuum of Care, the figure was the highest number of unsheltered individuals since 2008.
During these counts, which include a statewide collaborative effort between community organizations and advocates, individuals experiencing homelessness are asked a number of questions as part of a sheltered survey, such as how long they have been unhoused and what factors have contributed to their situation.