Local Advocacy Groups Say The Homeless Population Has Reached Crisis Levels

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — Over the past year, the concerns of homelessness have been a rising concern for many in the Fargo and Moorhead community. Nationally in the past year homelessness has increased by 18 percent.

“Homelessness has been on the rise in our community. It is actually in fact reaching crisis levels and especially with a region like ours that has a deadly winter these interventions are more important than ever before,” said Chandler Esslinger, Executive Director of the FM Coalition to End Homelessness.

This winter alone, there has been a reported 100 people unsheltered. An increase of over 50 people since the winter season in 2021. This comes after many resources that were available to aid the homeless have either dissolved or have been at capacity levels since the pandemic.

“The need for services and housing currently outways our ability to serve people and the availability and accessibility of housing units is something that we need to consider as part of the solution,” said Taylor Syvertson, United Way Director of Community Impact.

To address the crisis, both United Way and FM Coalition are working on a 90-day plan with other groups and community leaders

“What most communities tend to focus on is that crisis response. Things like shelter that help address that immediate crisis of homelessness,” said Esslinger.

“We may need to explore additional types of transitional or permanent supportive housing options. And we’re really going to look to our community partners and look to those additional stakeholders to help us identify what those might be,” said Syvertson.

United Way says they will be keeping the community up to date on their set goals on both their website as well as their social media.