Homelessness is an increasingly reality for a significant number of residents in DuPage County.

A One Night survey conducted on January 25, 2007 indicated that 766 persons in DuPage County were homeless on that night.

• 190 persons in emergency shelter including 18 family units.
• 452 persons in transitional housing including 105 family units.
• 124 unsheltered persons on the street including 8 unsheltered family units.

173 of these persons were chronically homeless. – 71 in shelters and 102 on the streets.

There were 56 youth between the ages of 18-21 in shelter or transitional housing on that night.

For more complete information please see the 2007 Homeless Populations Chart under Homeless Demographics. The next Homeless Count is scheduled for January 2009.

Poverty is steadily growing in DuPage County.
Since 1980, the number of people living in poverty has more than doubled, outpacing population growth

There are approximately 45,000 DuPage residents living in poverty. This represents 4.9 percent or 1 in every 20 people in the County living in poverty. In addition, more than 133,800 DuPage residents are considered very low income (200% of Federal Poverty Level)

2006 Income and Poverty Data - DUPAGE POVERTY FACT SHEET 2007 from the Midamerica Institute on Poverty of Heartland Alliance. Contact them here.

Although DuPage County has the second highest median income in the Chicago area, it has more low income persons than the total population of 87 counties in Illinois (Important Facts about Poverty in DuPage 2006 update).

Rent or Utility Assistance – In fiscal year 2007, 8,671 persons in 2,886 households also received rent or utility financial assistance in order to prevent them from becoming homelessness. This was over a 200% increase from the previous year. In FY 2006, the DuPage Continuum assisted 2,765 persons in 908 households

(2008 DuPage Continuum Prevention Providers Survey)

• a well-coordinated, seamless continuum of emergency and long-term housing and support services to people who are homeless;
• an effective countywide emergency relief system to help people stay in their housing;
• the Housing First approach- getting persons in housing as soon as possible and following later with their service needs.
• developing an adequate supply of housing to end homelessness by 2010.