Count records highest level of unhoused individuals in Dubuque County since pre-pandemic

A recent semiannual count recorded the highest number of local individuals experiencing homelessness since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the overnight point-in-time count that took place from Wednesday to Thursday, July 30 to 31, teams walked the streets of Dubuque and Delaware counties to find, identify and provide resources for as many homeless people as possible. The team recorded 41 individuals experiencing homelessness and living outdoors in Dubuque County and nine individuals in Delaware County. The count is a statewide effort that happens twice per year, with one federally mandated count in January and an optional July count. The July 2024 count identified 23 unsheltered homeless individuals in Dubuque County, though heavy rain that night led the Dubuque Rescue Mission to increase its overflow capacity, possibly influencing the number of unhoused individuals. In July 2023, 33 individuals were counted, with 18 individuals counted in 2022. The count did not take place in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.