Number of Homeless Rising

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — More homeless people are without a place to sleep in Wichita.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development data shows that the number and percentage of homeless in Sedgwick County without shelter has roughly doubled over the past eight years. The Wichita Eagle (http://bit.ly/1Xu71nI) reports that about 100 homeless people, or 17 percent, lack shelter in the county.

New data shows that Sedgwick County is one of the best counties in the nation for providing shelter to homeless family members. But the problem is getting worse when it comes to providing shelter to homeless individuals.

The increase in homeless people without shelter is almost entirely single individuals. The study shows that the 150 homeless family members, which make up about a quarter of the homeless in Wichita, all have shelter.