Racine County's homeless population up 42% from last year

 

RACINE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Racine County's homeless population has seen a 42% increase in the last year.

Statewide, the total homeless population has dropped three years in a row.

During a count in January, there were 275 homeless people in Racine County. Of that, 10 were on the street and the rest were in shelters.

The Mayor of Racine says the city is working to make housing available. "It's housing affordability, it's access to good jobs and access to healthcare that really drive a lot of these issues so as long as we can work on all of those in conjuncture with Racine County, as long as we're doing these things it's a real challenge," said Mayor Cory Mason.

A number of homeless shelters have closed recently in Racine. Shelters often rely heavily on donations and grants to stay afloat.