- Iberia Homeless Shelter's housing director, and a current resident, talk about homelessness in the area
- PIT Survey is conducted annually to determine the amount of people who are currently living in homelessness
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Did you know that it takes about $3,000 to house one homeless person?
In New Iberia where staff at the Iberia Homeless Shelter are working to prevent and fix this epidemic.
"Tell me what's going on."
Thaddeus Robinson has been with the shelter for eight years.
"So imma give that to you to get her to sign, ok?"
As Housing Director, he works one-on-one with homeless communities in Iberia, St. Martin, and St. Mary parishes.
"I just got through dealing with a client who's on the verge of being homeless, due to the mere fact that she's about to get her lights cut off."
On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, his staff and volunteers conducted a point-in-time survey in these parishes.
"We have to...go out in the community, in the tri-parish area, and we have to go and find, locate, our homeless people."
According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), these surveys are conducted every January to figure out just how many people are homeless.
"One of the most important questions, how long you been homeless."
"I came on November 1, but I came at like...way late at night so I slept on the ground."
22-year-old Lee K took the Greyhound from Opelousas to New Iberia, searching for support.
"I got somewhere to sleep, I got a bed. I met some nice people here."
The advice he gives to anyone struggling is to never give up.
"My long-term dream is to buy a land, like, a really nice land. I wanna build a house, like a big house."
Robinson hopes that when the survey numbers return it will help bring more awareness, locally, to this issue.
"There's no way to just say 'I know you're homeless,' and point out someone. They could be the best-dressed person in this area, and still be homeless. Iberia, St. Martin, andSt. Mary...our homeless people need help; and it is severe.
To donate to the Iberia Homeless Shelter, click here.
