The number of homeless people in St. Charles County has almost tripled compared to three years ago, based on newly released data from local groups that help the homeless. 

“I think the primary reason is the rise in housing costs,” says Dottie Kastigar, staff director for the Tri-County Continuum of Care (CoC), a coalition of nonprofits helping the homeless in St. Charles, Lincoln and Warren counties.

In St. Charles County alone, more than 550 adults and over 200 children were counted homeless during the CoC’s annual point-in-time count on Jan. 28. It’s an increase of more than 250 people—50% more than last year.

“Our homeless population does not look like the homeless population in the city of St. Louis,” Kastigar says. “They’re not on the street corner because many are working. Probably 30% here have jobs. They just don’t make enough for housing.”

Some are living out of motels, cars, storage units, tents in the woods, or couch surfing with friends or relatives, she says. 

“We have no permanent shelter for the homeless in St. Charles County,” Kastigar says. “Our Salvation Army shelter closed two years ago. So, your average family in a housing crisis—there’s no place to put them.”

The exception is during winter weather. 

Over the past winter, St. Charles County Government provided an emergency infusion of $30,000 to the Continuum of Care to help provide shelter for homeless people on nights when the temperature dropped to 20 degrees or colder. Several churches and nonprofits provide shelter on a rotating basis. The annual effort is staffed by private volunteers. 

Advocates are constantly working to identify the homeless and get them into housing, and medical treatment if needed. Kastigar says it takes about seven months to find someone a place to stay with the current backlog and tight housing market. 

“We have built a system that works—not for everybody, but 90% of the people we assist get housing and stay housed,” Kastigar says. “They become contributing members of our community and society. It's worth the investment.”

Going forward, Kastigar would like to see more discussion on how to help people who are homeless in St. Charles County. Among the ideas in the mix: 

• A permanent shelter
• A dedicated fund to put people in short-term motel stays during a housing crisis
• Smaller houses that could serve as mini-shelters for a couple families or a few individuals while they're restabilizing

“Right now, we don't have the visible homelessness problems of California or like many of the big cities, with people on the street corner,” Kastigar says. “But it's coming, if we don't address it when it's a more invisible problem. It's coming.”

Photo caption: Jen and David wait for a lunchtime meal at the Salvation Army in St. Charles.