Homelessness increased in Northeast TN, according to 2025 PIT Count
In 2020, the PIT count found nearly 400 people without housing. This year, the number is over 900.
The annual survey is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in order for organizations and local governments to receive federal funding to combat homelessness.
Volunteers and social service agency members spend a night finding unhoused individuals and interviewing them to try and analyze trends.
PREVIOUS: Northeast Tennessee PIT Count organizer discusses importance of taking census on homelessness
Opal Frye-Clark is the President of the Unity Housing board. She believes there are more unhoused people than the survey found.
'This is a snapshot within a 24-hour period of time that you go out into the community, and you try to physically count the number of individuals experiencing homelessness,' said Frye-Clark. 'While there was a specific number that yielded results from this year, it doesn't necessarily encompass everybody that's experiencing homelessness.'
Terry Burdett is the Homeless Management Information Systems Manager at the Appalachian Regional Coalition on Homelessness (ARCH). He said there are multiple reasons the number has increased, including rent hikes.
'We have an affordable rental housing problem, and our older folks that are on fixed incomes, they're struggling in our communities,' said Burdett. 'I'm not saying that we've got this huge increase on elderly homeless, but our demographics are aging just a little bit every year.'
In Johnson City, rent has increased from 12% to over 17%, according to the 2025 Housing Needs Assessment.
Report details changes in Johnson City housing
Burdett also noted that 10% of the respondents said they are homeless due to Hurricane Helene.
Both Frye-Clark and Burdett said the public can help by donating or volunteering at local homeless assistance centers and shelters.
'If you're going to get involved, I would check out the organizations that are already doing things,' Frye-Clark said. 'Support your local government in making decisions to increase the amount of housing opportunities for local individuals in the area.'
'A lot of our grants help with rental assistance,' said Burdett, 'but then we have the issues with 'how about kitchenware?', you know, dining stuff, a bed to sleep on, a couch to sit on. So those are things that are difficult to pay with the grants, but funding outside the grants system can help us.'
The PIT count also showed an increase in unhoused people with severe mental health and substance abuse issues. 40% of those surveyed struggled with one or both of those factors. Burdett said he thinks there is no reason to believe these solely contribute to homelessness.
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