Chippewa Valley Point in Time Count Sees Decrease of Unhoused

The Chippewa Valley saw a dramatic increase of identified unhoused individuals last year, but this year’s point in time count saw a decrease.

Western Dairyland completes the count twice each year in an effort to track the unhoused population in Eau Claire, Buffalo, Trempealeau, and Jackson Counties. In the July count, volunteers found a total of 104 unhoused individuals in the region.

Volunteers conducted this year’s count from January 22-29, and found just 34 unhoused people. According to a WQOW report, officials say the count does not include people who stayed in a homeless shelter when the count began on January 22. They also say the frigid weather may be a contributing factor to the lower total with more unhoused individuals actively seeking shelter.

Eau Claire in particular has struggled to address the growing unhoused population. Earlier this year, City of Eau Claire officials launched a new task force to solve persistent housing issues. The City Council also passed a resolution calling for more state and federal aid to address issues with the unhoused population.

City and County officials also wrote a joint letter to Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, accusing neighboring municipalities of dropping unhoused individuals off in the city. Those municipalities responded to the letter, saying the individuals in question were brought to Eau Claire with their consent to seek services they could not receive elsewhere.

Despite the lower point in time count this winter, Chippewa Valley communities are still struggling to address the growing unhoused population. With low vacancy rates and the increasing cost of housing, local governments are focusing on short-term relief solutions like a street ambassador program while working on long-term goals like increasing housing stock.