Demographics and facts on Nevada homelessness

Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2007 | 2:44 a.m.

Key facts on homelessness in Nevada, according to the Nevada Interagency Council on Homelessness:

POPULATION - About 16,000 people are homeless in Nevada. That's 68 out of every 100,000 residents, a higher proportion than any other state.

DEMOGRAPHICS - In Nevada, 49 percent of homeless are white, 27 percent are black and 19 percent are listed as race unknown. About 14 percent are veterans.

COSTS OF HOUSING - Housing one person in an emergency shelter costs an average of $4,000 per year. Housing with supportive services costs $12,000 per year. Transitional housing with case management and social services costs $9,000 per year.

COSTS OF NO HOUSING - One night in jail average $80 to $174, depending on the facility. One night in detox costs $295. Nationally, chronic drug and alcohol abusers spend 80 nights per year in detox, at a cost of $23,600. An emergency room visit costs $3,722, and a 3-day hospital stay costs $4,440, on average.

GOVERNMENT MONEY - In 2006, Nevada got $7.6 million in federal funding to deal with homelessness. The state spent $9 million over the last two years on homelessness.

LOCAL PROBLEM - Surveys of homeless in northern Nevada showed that 90 percent were living in the area when they became homeless. In rural Nevada, 93 percent were living in the area. Similar statistics were not available for southern Nevada.

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