By Mar-Vic Cagurangan
Variety News Staff

GUAM has 326 homeless households and 1,084 homeless individuals, according to the Guam Homeless Coalition’s 2006 count released by the Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority yesterday.
Amor M.U. Say, planner for the GHURA Research, Planning and Evaluation Division, said the latest figure for homeless individuals has increased from 985 in 2005. She attributed the increase to “unemployment, family problems and substance abuse.”
“Some homeless people are living in abandoned buildings, in container homes that are not converted into housing units, on beaches, and in parks. Some of them are living in inadequate housing,” Say said.
At least 83 households and 193 individuals are taking refuge in shelters provided by nonprofit organizations, according to the report by the Guam Homeless Coalition, which is led by GHURA.
The Salvation Army, one of the nonprofit groups that receives sub-grants from GHURA, led the survey conducted on Jan. 25.
The homeless count, according to GHURA, is aimed at raising public awareness of the needs of the homeless and to gaining support for solutions to homelessness.
The survey also seeks to identify the needs of, composition of, and challenges and barriers facing the homeless in the community and the results are used as a basis for the type of assistance that will be provided to them.
The process also measures the changes in the numbers and scope of homelessness on Guam as compared to previous surveys and population estimates, GHURA said. It is also being done in compliance with the regulatory requirements for receiving Continuum of Care Supportive Housing Program and Shelter Plus Care Funds from Housing and Urban Development. (See related story on page 11)
Say said GHURA recently received $499,282 from HUD for the 2006 grant cycle.
“The grant will be used for this fiscal year,” Say said.
The grant, which supports housing programs for the homeless, will be awarded to agencies and nonprofit groups that provide shelters to the homeless.