Homeless Count Highlights Need for Shelter Beds, Services for Homeless

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

Anderson County recently completed its annual point-in-time (PIT) count to provide a snapshot of the number of sheltered and unsheltered individuals experiencing homelessness at a specific time, which was Jan. 22 this year.

The count is a critical tool not so much for getting an exact number, but for measuring trends, understanding the scope of homelessness and identifying areas where resources are needed. It's an annual process conducted in communities across the United States to assess the number of people experiencing homelessness at a specific point in time.

The count in Anderson County surveyed 365 individuals in 2025, up from 296 last year. Of that group, 266 were male, 97 female and two transgendered. Twelve of those indicated they had children and were homeless. There were 17 veterans, up from seven last year, and 27 survivors of domestic violence, down from 33 last year (but at more difficult number to track).

It also found there were 151 chronically homeless people in the county, those who are experiencing continuing homelessness over an extended period of time. That number was up dramatically from the 44 identified in 2024.

The number identified with a disabling condition(s) grew from 176 to 191 in 2025.

The count also found the following as the main barriers to finding stable housing: physical or mental health challenges; financial challenges; criminal history; family conflict; eviction history; lack of affordable housing; education; missing documentation; personal choice to remain homeless; dealing with trauma; and drug abuse disorder.

Of these, 246 were unsheltered, up from 232 in 2024, 119 in emergency shelter, up from 59. Most were white, 231, and 120 were black.

By age group, those the count identified eight under the age of 18; 20 between ages 24-34 (up from 17); 75 between the ages 35-44, up from 54; 99 between ages 45-54, up from 71; 85 between ages 55-64, up from 53; and 21 over the age of 65, up from 16. The fastest growing overall segment of homeless are over the age of 50.

The total number of shelter beds is also counted, and Anderson County has 128, but that number is misleading, since most of those beds are seasonable (open only during extremely hot or cold weather.)

For reference, Greenville has 1,109 shelter beds, Spartanburg 384 and Pickens 130. Anderson is significantly behind in this category.

Of Anderson’s shelter beds, 42 for adults only, 20 for adults with children, and the remainder seasonally adjusted beds.

In Anderson, Zoë Hale is Chief Operating Officer of Hope Missions of the Upstate, one of the organizations which provides extensive services to the homeless in the county, once again supervising the PIT count for Anderson.

“It’s not an easy task because we have a big rural county, and our mission is here in the midst of a number of neighborhoods, a deep need, and neighborhoods of concentrated poverty,” said Hale. Within those localized neighborhoods, we have people who are experiencing homelessness.”

Hale said it takes the collaborative effort of many partners to provide the numbers for the count.

“We work with the Anderson County, the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Anderson police, Upstate Warrior Solution - who helps us with veterans who are experiencing homelessness - and we work with others in parts of Anderson County that touch people who are experiencing homelessness.”

In January, they ask the question on that one night: “Where are the people that we can encounter who are experiencing homelessness?” This count includes both individuals living in shelters and those who are unsheltered, meaning they are sleeping outdoors or in places not intended for human habitation (such as cars). Volunteers and outreach workers canvass communities to interview individuals and gather information about their demographics, reasons for homelessness, and other relevant factors.

“The data collected during the PIT count helps communities understand the needs of people experiencing homelessness, allocate resources effectively, and track progress toward ending homelessness,” said Hale.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires every community in the country to conduct these counts as part of their Continuum of Care (CoC) programs.

“That is a lot of information all at once for them to process,” said Hale, who said HUD compiles a report together for Congress on the trends in homelessness to allow them to budget services. “It tells them the trend, what the nation has experienced in homelessness since last year, at some level, it tells them how many pennies to put in the pot. And that eventually could trickle down to us…,” said Hale.

Hope Missions is already doing some of the things necessary to meet the needs of the homeless today. They operate a day shelter, which means that at the first light of the day, people have some place to go for breakfast, Monday through Saturday.

“People can come in and get their hygiene needs taken care of,” said Hale. “They can use a bathroom. They can get fed. We serve as a place that people can use as a phone number. They can also use as a mailing address. So, if they're trying to get a job, they can use this phone number for an employer. If they're trying to make sure they have all the documentation that they need so they can get a job, because you would need a driver's license or you'd need an SCID, you'd need a birth certificate, you'd need your social security card. And if you didn't live anywhere, that might not be secure.”

“We have places where they can secure their employment-ready documents and then we have other things that can help them connect to employers. We also do basic needs such as clothing, so if they need to get or replace their clothing, if something has happened to them or it's wet outside, we can help with those kinds of things. We're always interested in who is experiencing homelessness and where they are and how we can help.”

Hope Missions also acts as Anderson County’s only emergency warming center in the winter and cooling center in the summer to help those on the street find a safe place in extreme weather.

The ministry has also helped almost 500 find permanent housing through their housing navigator working with partners in the community and those who might have properties for rent.

“The starting point needs to be more shelter beds,” said Dave Phillips, CEO of Hope Missions. I mean, Spartanburg has triple the number Anderson has. Pickens has more beds than Anderson has. That doesn't seem to make a lot of sense."

"If we look at them, you look at the numbers nationally, you look at the numbers locally, you see it going way up while our shelter beds numbers have been flatlined for years,” said Phillips. We’ve been trying to increase awareness; to help people understand why you're seeing more people experiencing homelessness. The numbers are going up, and we, systemically, have to be able to react to that and be able to provide a place so that people can shelter."

Phillips said helping people overcome homelessness includes allowing those in that situation to be treated with dignity and compassion.

“It is an embarrassing place to be,” said Phillips. “We find that a lot of people won't admit they're homeless. They're living in a hotel. When you ask them what's your address is, they say, 'Well, I can't really give you an address.” So, it's a shameful, disgraceful place to be.”

He said society shuns the homeless, tags them and stereotypes them.

“We don’t only need to build more shelter beds, but need to have somebody that has the capacity to love people and show kindness that will help them make better decisions and move forward faster."

He’s cautiously optimistic that there may be some momentum moving in that direction, but knows there is much work to do.

One potential step in providing transitional housing is the future Hope Village development which will be built on the old Riverside Mill property donated by the county.

In the meantime, Phillips said the community can support the work of Hope Missions financially through donations, volunteering, in-kind donations of food and clothing and prayer.

“Please pray for us,” said Phillips. “For those who follow Christ this is our calling, this is what we should be doing and we need your prayers and support for that.”