TAMPA, Fla. — Homelessness is an issue across the United States, and in Florida it's no different.
The state population is growing rapidly, which is causing home and apartment prices to skyrocket, which in turn is forcing some onto the streets.
In Pasco County, the homeless population is anywhere between 350 to 400 people, according to county officials. However, some residents think the population is even higher as more and more tent cities pop up around areas like Hudson.
Homeless shelters and programs are dealing with more and more people needing services.
Sue Campbell runs four shelters in Pasco County. She has been helping those less fortunate for the past 14 years.
“The homeless camps are growing in everybody’s backyards. If there’s a piece of wood, someone is going to find it, and somebody is going to put a tent up,” Campbell said.
She says the face of the homeless is changing and that more of the people she is helping are elderly and on fixed incomes or pensions.
"When rents went up ridiculously, I got at least three to four people here in a pretty quick manner, people who couldn't afford the renewed rents," Campbell said.
"If the landlords can ask for it," she said of high rent prices, "they're going to ask for it."
WATCH JEFF VAN SANT'S WEDNESDAY REPORT ... USE THE VIDEO PLAYER AT TOP OF PAGE TO WATCH JEFF'S THURSDAY REPORT.
According to Pasco County, there are at least 62 conformed encampments, with most residing in the western half of the county.
It’s investing more than $12 million in emergency shelters, services, rental assistance and permanent housing.
Paula Baracaldo, the director of Support Services for Pasco County, says they are looking at many solutions.
“For now, our purpose and our primary goal is that we can create some low barrier shelters so that we can at least provide that quick response to the community and look at our housing options," Baracaldo said.
ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS
The homeless issue can affect people of all ages and backgrounds.
Spectrum News spoke to a 24-year-old woman who says she is trying to go to school to be a nurse but can’t afford housing at the same time. She reached out to Campbell and is now staying at a shelter as she tries to get her life on a track to success.
She goes by the name Naomi but didn’t want to give her last name. She is a mom of three and is working to better her life and make a better one for her kids.
“Everything is for my kids,” she said.
Naomi’s kids are staying with family members as she works to become a nurse. She says she's following in her grandmother's footsteps. Naomi isn’t battling any kind of addiction or problem. She simply can’t afford the skyrocketing rents.
According to a recent study by Pasco County, 32% of the homeless in the county are between the ages of 20 and 40. Naomi fits right into that category. She says life can be rough but she’s taking these hardships head-on.
“It’s one step at a time, one step at a time, so that’s all I can say.”
RESIDENTS HAVE GROWING CONCERNS ABOUT SPIKE IN HOMELESS CAMPS
According to some residents in Pasco County, the community’s landscape is undergoing a noticeable transformation.
Deborah Eubanks, a long-time resident of Hudson, has observed an increase in the presence of encampments within her city. She explains that these camps can be seen everywhere, with trails leading into the woods appearing seemingly overnight.
Eubanks took initiative by creating a Facebook group called “Homeless Solutions of West Pasco” in order to join forces with others who share her concerns. Their collective aim is to raise awareness among Pasco County officials and address their shared concerns, including the cleanup of streets, removal of garbage, and the restoration of a sense of safety.
Eubanks acknowledges the need for prompt action to resolve the issue, even suggesting the possibility of designating a specific area where people can legally establish a tent city. However, she believes the county’s response has been insufficiently swift.