July 15, 2019

County Remembers Homeless Individuals at Third Annual Memorial Service



A recent memorial service remembered 31 individuals who died in the past year while homeless, or who were previously homeless and received County and nonprofit services. The names of the individuals were read by nonprofit organizations who work with the County to provide services. Those who died were remembered as not just a ‘homeless’ person, but as a community member.

In the annual Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ Point-in-Time survey conducted in Jan. 2019, there were 647 persons experiencing homelessness in Montgomery County and 85 families with children. Since 2017, there has been a 28 percent decrease in the overall number of persons experiencing homelessness, the most significant decrease in any two-year period since 2009.

Montgomery County achieved the goal of ending veteran homelessness in Dec. 2015 and continues to work to maintain functional zero homelessness through continual monitoring and tracking.

In 2017, the Interagency Commission on Ending Homelessness launched "Inside (Not Outside)," an initiative aimed at ending chronic homelessness in the County. Through the efforts of Montgomery County’s Department of Health and Human Services and nonprofit providers in the community such as Bethesda Cares, Catholic Charities, Coalition for the Homeless and Interfaith Works, 420 individuals have been placed in permanent supportive housing.

A current focus is on ending homelessness for families with children.

More information about services for the homeless and data on progress made is available at montgomerycountymd.gov/homelessness.