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Tompkins County reports modest declines in homelessness but length of stay and youth needs remain pressing
Summary
Human Services Coalition data show point-in-time counts and first-time homelessness have declined between 2023 and 2025, but average and median lengths of homelessness remain above local goals, and youth homelessness appears undercounted in shelter data.
Lydia Barger, director of housing initiatives at Human Services Coalition, told the Tompkins County Community Services Board on Jan. 8 that local reporting shows modest improvements in some homelessness measures even as significant challenges remain. Barger said the Continuum of Care’s stated mission is to “make homelessness rare, brief, and 1 time in Tompkins County,” and that the county uses HMIS and HUD system performance measures to track progress.
Barger said the county’s point‑in‑time count has dropped notably between 2023 and 2025, an improvement she attributed in part to moves into newly available housing in 2024. She reported the community achieved a 16% decrease in the average number of days people experienced homelessness compared with a…
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