Chicago organization says thousands more homeless in 2024 than city data show

CHICAGO (WLS) -- How the government counts people who experience homelessness is quite different from how the Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness does it. The organization's numbers are a much higher count than what the city reports.

Under viaducts, on Lower Wacker Drive, in tents in lakefront parks, people experiencing homelessness in Chicago seek shelter where they can.

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"The federal definition of homelessness is someone that lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence. But what is considered fixed, regular and adequate really depends on who you ask," said Sam Paler-Ponce, with the Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness.

If you ask the organization, the definition should include people living in abandoned buildings or living on someone's couch or doubling up.

"This is beyond a typical home-sharing situation. It is poor people that cannot afford to live on their own in overcrowded situations," Paler-Ponce said.

Using an expanded definition of homelessness combined with a year-long count, a new report from the Coalition says in 2024 more than 58,000 people were unhoused, compared to city data that counted 19,000.

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"We know that it's not a 100% accuracy. But we do the best that we can to make sure that every person who is living unsheltered is counted out in the city of Chicago," said Carol Sharp, The Night Ministry president and CEO.

The Night Ministry works with the city of Chicago to count the unhoused.

The federal government mandates all municipalities conduct a point-in-time count during the last couple weeks in January.

The city's count is Thursday. The data is used to determine policies, resources and funding.

The Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness says the point-in-time count is helpful, but its use should be limited.

"In an ordinary year, for every one person counted in the point in time, count eight more people access homeless services throughout the course of the year," Paler-Ponce said.

The report from the Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness only focuses on 2024. The 2025 numbers will come out at the end of this year.