The number of homeless individuals in Cayuga County seems to have dropped nearly 30 percent over the last two years, according to data released Thursday by the Auburn/Cayuga County Homeless Task Force.

With the help of volunteers in both law enforcement and the larger community, the fourth biannual point-in-time count held Jan. 30 tallied 98 vulnerable men, women and children overall. That number is down from 135 individuals recognized in Jan. 2005.

Nearly half of those counted were under 18. One of the count's organizers said the majority of those children were living with families in unstable housing situations.

“It's something we're seeing more of,” said Jennifer Haines, Auburn's planning and economic development program manager.

Tallies also identified 30 men and 25 women as homeless or at risk for homelessness.

All-told, 55 people met the definition of homelessness set forth by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Forty-three individuals were precariously housed (at imminent risk of homeless - either living with friends and relatives or paying extremely high proportions of their resources for rent).

The latter number particularly interests Haines, because HUD does not currently provide funding to care for vulnerable populations who don't meet its rigid definitions for homelessness.

“We're struggling with this whole piece, where people don't meet (the criteria),” Haines said, adding she would like to see funding in place for transitional housing to prevent destitution.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” Haines said.

Currently, the Auburn-based Options for Independence and the Cayuga/Seneca Community Action Agency offer such resources to individuals and families at-risk. Other agencies have memorandums of understanding with various area motels, to offer families temporary shelter.

Administration and staff at community-based agencies anticipate installation of an electronic data tracking program to help them better understand the pattern of homelessness in the area. Dubbed the Homeless Management Information System, the online, password-protected network should allow a variety of service sites to input data and more easily track determinants like age, risk factors and other demographics to draw a sharper picture of the problems at hand.

This winter's numbers further show that of the 98 tallied, 16 suffered mental illness; 26 had substance abuse issues, five were victims of domestic violence and one suffered identified disabilities or serious illness. Seventeen reported suffering a combination of the above categories.

Intended to offer a “snapshot” of homelessness magnitude in the county, the point-in-time count is accomplished with two shifts of volunteers, canvassing abandoned buildings, bridges, overpasses and parks between 6 to 9 a.m., then from 5 to 8 p.m. Contacts from area schools, towns and village clerks supplemented the data, in addition to reports from food pantries, soup kitchens, human service providers, Auburn Memorial Hospital and hotels.

The count meets federal funding criteria. Information it elicits helps community-based agencies, as well as the Task Force, plan for services and submit grant applications.

Staff Writer Olivia Goldberg can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 235 or at olivia.goldberg@lee.net