HAYS COUNTY
Early in 2024, the Homeless Coalition of Hays County conducted the annual Point In Time Count, which offers a snapshot of how many people in Hays County are unhoused at the time. The results showed the highest number of unhoused individuals measured in Hays County in the four years the survey has been completed.
Hays County, and every city within, have issued proclamations recognizing Oct. 10 as World Homeless Day.
World Homeless Day is celebrated annually to raise awareness about homelessness and to work towards ending it. The idea for World Homeless Day came from online discussions between aid workers who helped the homeless in their own countries. The inaugural World Homeless Day was marked on Oct. 10, 2010.
During the PIT count on Jan. 25, there were 246 total unhoused people found in Hays County. That is a tiny fraction of the estimated 650,000 unhoused people in the United States on a given night or the 150 million across the world.
“The purpose of the proclamation is to educate the public about the challenges for people experiencing homelessness including the shortage of lowincome housing in San Marcos and surrounding areas of Hays County, and to encourage sustainable funding and resource support for homeless assistance service providers,” Hays County’s proclamation said. “The Homeless Coalition of Hays County’s membership, which currently includes thirty-five organizations and twelve individuals, recognizes that homelessness continues to be a serious problem for many individuals and families throughout Hays County, especially within San Marcos.”
From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 5, the Southside Community Center, located at 18 S. Guadalupe Street, is partnering with the Homeless Coalition of Hays County and other organizations to provide food, showers, laundry services, giveaways and more in honor or World Homeless Day.
Additionally, the coalition is hosting a Lunch and Learn session addressing Domestic Violence and Homelessness on Oct. 17 at the San Marcos Activity Center from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Registration for the event can be found on the organizations Facebook page facebook. com/HomelessCoalition ofHays.
