Steve van de Hoef of Bridge Street United Church at Hastings-Quinte Community and Human Services Committee, September 12, 2018 (Photo: Mary Thomas/Quinte News)
The preliminary results are in on the Homeless survey in Hastings County.
The count was conducted in Belleville, Quinte West, Madoc and Bancroft last April as part of a provincial housing project.
It covered 211 people experiencing homelessness, including 15 families.
Eighty-percent were on some form of assistance and 22% were under the age of twenty-four.
Twice as many men are experiencing homelessness as the number of women.
Steve van de Hoef of Bridge Street United Church, who managed the count, says there must be a focus on prevention.
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Nearly half of the respondents to the survey had experienced homelessness for more than six months.
One quarter had been homeless all year.
The survey indicated affordability and availability of housing are the primary barriers that people experiencing homelessness face in finding permanent housing.
The province plans to conduct the survey every two years.
