The latest count of the homeless population in Volusia and Flagler counties shows a drop year to year, but The Neighborhood Center of West Volusia is still seeing a high demand for services.
The nonprofit provides emergency shelter, housing, daily meals and other help. The organization is seeing more demand for rent and utility assistance, CEO Savannah-Jane Griffin said.
“We’re seeing more people at the Neighborhood Center in need of homeless prevention,” Griffin said.
Number of homeless decreases in Volusia and Flagler counties
The Point in Time count, conducted in January, provides a “snapshot” of the homeless community on one night, according to the Volusia/Flagler County Coalition for the Homeless.
Officials conduct the count not only to get a sense of homeless population, but also to comply with federal requirements, according to the organization.
Combined, Volusia and Flagler counties had 1083 homeless people in January 2025. That is a reduction of 81 people or about 7% from 2024.
For the 2025 count, Flagler County had 51 homeless people, and Volusia County had 1,032 homeless people. Griffin said that while the count has decreased year over year, it went up significantly in the previous couple of years.
The homeless count was 865 in 2022 and jumped to 1,053 in 2023, and 1,164 in 2024.
With cost-of-living increases and the effects of Hurricane Milton, “there’s still a lot of challenges people are experiencing,” she said.
Neighborhood Center of West Volusia could face more demand
Griffin said she is concerned about meeting what could become a growing need with expected or potential cuts to federal funding.
The food pantry at the Neighborhood Center already has a high demand. About 150 people use the pantry Monday through Friday.
“We see more people come through our doors than the average food pantry,” she said
Griffin said most of the people who come to the Neighborhood Center for help are working, some with multiple jobs. Some people are struggling with medical bills, too.
She gave an example of a single mother with three children who was diagnosed with brain cancer, and the Neighborhood Center helped her with rent for a few months.
Griffin said anyone could face a tough situation with medical bills and find themselves in need of help.
“And that’s, you know, why we exist is to help those people that are facing some of the most difficult times in their lives ― to be a safety net, to help provide a hand up, not a hand out,” she said.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Homeless count down in Volusia and Flagler, but demand for services on the rise
Reporting by Sheldon Gardner, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
