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Intern says families and students make up most of Cobb's unhoused population, urges better coordination
Summary
Intern Gavin Byers told Commissioner Eric Allen his research found that many unhoused people in Cobb County are families and students and recommended improving coordination between nonprofits and county agencies to reduce service fragmentation and reliance on emergency shelters.
Gavin Byers, a Georgia State University student working as a District 2 intern, presented research on housing instability in Cobb County and said his work found that "the majority of, the unhoused people are families and students." He said stigma toward people experiencing homelessness makes it harder to build community support for prevention and supportive services.
Byers recommended improving coordination among county agencies and nonprofits so residents can find services in a single, navigable place rather than encountering fragmented supports. He warned that current eviction processes and sudden financial shocks push people into emergency shelters and transitional housing, and that limited shelter capacity strains available services.
