Augusta’s crisis: ‘More people homeless than we’ve ever had’

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The number of homeless Augustans nearly doubled in the past year, but the most shocking number is for children, which showed a 1,781% increase.

The annual “point in time” count in January found 1,098 homeless people in Richmond County, up from a total of 448 in 2024.

Of those numbers, 21 were children in 2024, but the number shot up to 395 in 2025.

While many who work with the homeless are likely skeptical that 21 was an accurate count in the first place, the increase is astonishing.

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The 2025 survey found children make up the largest single age group of homeless people.

That fits with what nonprofits are telling us – that there’s a huge proportion of food-insecure children in the CSRA. In fact, we learned a couple of weeks ago that Hancock County has the highest level of child hunger in the country.

But it’s not just children showing an increase; all age groups saw jumps:

The only major groups showing a decline were the chronically homeless, going from 68 in 2024 to 55 in 2025, and veterans, going from 29 in 2024 to 18 in 2025.

What could explain the big change in the past year?

Hurricane Helene could have played a role. In fact, the total number in 2024 was lower than the 643 who were counted in 2023.

Many who work with the homeless tend to believe each year’s count is lower than the true number.

But Bethany Trapp with the Marion Barnes Assessment and Referral Center for the Homeless believes this year’s count was only about 300 off – which she thinks is about as accurate as it gets.

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She’s judging the accuracy by comparing it to the “coordinated entry” efforts by her staff to refer homeless people to the right services.

For the first time ever this year, the “point in time” count matched the referrals.

But the numbers are daunting.

“The fact of it is we have more people homeless than we’ve ever had homeless, and we need to help them, and somebody has to advocate for them, and somebody has to be the voice,” Trapp said.

Those who deal with the homeless on a daily basis have been telling us for months they’re seeing the symptoms of the increase – from more people seeking assistance through Golden Harvest Food Bank to a need for services like Compass for Hope’s mobile laundry.

And now the survey confirms what they’ve been seeing anecdotally.

BY THE NUMBERS

Homelessness: Other statistics from this year

1. The 2025 survey found 55 people were chronically homeless. Those are people with disabling conditions who’ve been homeless for an extended time.
2. There were more than 700 unsheltered people – those who lack a stable place to stay, meaning they’re often living on the streets or in a car.
3. The survey found more than 300 people were sheltered – meaning they’re living in some type of temporary housing, such as homeless shelters.
4. The survey found many more single males, 714, were homeless, than females, 338.
5. The survey found 17 homeless veterans.

The annual survey is conducted every January by cities that receive federal Housing and Urban Development money. The statistics help determine grant allocations.

The big uncertainty for Trapp is the federal spending cuts that have been affecting various agencies. Even though the homeless count is high this year, she has no idea what the 2026 funding outlook will be.

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“One of the program fundings that they’re looking at cutting is homeless services, so we don’t know where that cut’s going to be,” she said. “It could be in many different areas. It could be in one concentrated area. So we all wait with bated breath on what’s happening with funding.”

There could be a much greater need for private donations and services offered through nonprofits, she said.

“It’s just kinda, we don’t know yet,” she said. “So we just kinda roll with the punches and go, ‘OK, this is what we’re doing today.’”

READ THE 2025 REPORT:

Trapp said homelessness looks different to different people, but those who are experiencing it don’t always match the stereotype.

It could be any of us.

“We are all, no matter our status in this community, a paycheck or two away from absolute disaster,” she said.

“It still looks like what your mind says is, and what we’ve known for decades as homeless, but it also looks like a single mom who is just trying to keep it together and not lose her mind, but also make sure that her kids are fed, that they’re bathed, they got their homework done, they went to school, they get to participate in the special events at school, go on that field trip, you know, be in the school play,” she said.

Whatever the numbers are, homelessness is hard to get out of, she said.

“It’s heartbreaking when you sit down and you really look at all of the things that contribute to being homeless and then all of the ways that the system is completely set up, not so they stay there, but it is so hard to dig out,” she said.