Hunger woes 'persistent'; U.S. mayors see rising need for food, housing

"Salt Lake and other cities are taking creative and significant steps forward, but the need for emergency food assistance programs requires even more," said Conference President and Trenton, N.J., Mayor Douglas Palmer. "Although 87 percent of our nation's wealth is generated in our nation's cities, hunger and homelessness persists in most of our country's cities and urban centers." The report cites high housing costs and the lack of affordable housing as a major cause of homelessness in households with children as well as a major cause of hunger. The survey also notes the recent spike in foreclosures, the increased cost of living in general and the increased cost of food in particular as major causes of hunger in America.

"This report underscores the fact that issues of poverty in this country are often interrelated," said Mayor Frank Cownie, co-chairman of the Conference's Task Force on Hunger and Homelessness. "It is instructive in that we must deal with these issues collectively to make sustainable impact."

Despite Salt Lake and Utah public and private joint efforts to increase the number of low-income housing units, such as the 184 new beds at two new projects in Salt Lake this year, the number of homeless individuals and unaccompanied youths increased by 3,443. However, the number families with children who are homeless, the number of homeless veterans and the number of clients reporting they are victims of domestic violence actually decreased. The report also found:

• Food Stamp benefits are not keeping up with the increasing price of food.

• The most commonly cited way to reduce hunger is through more affordable housing.

• Disability is more prevalent among homeless singles than among adults in households with children. Rates of disability (mental illness, substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, physical and developmental disabilities) were approximately three times greater for singles than for adults in households with children.

• The average length of stay in 2007 for persons in emergency shelter and transitional housing decreased from 2006. Cities reported that for households with children, the average length of a stay was 5.7 months in 2007. For singles, the average length of a

single stay was reported as 4.7 months. In 2006, cities reported that an average length of stay was eight months for both groups.

The survey time frame was Nov. 1, 2006, to Oct. 31, 2007, and was underwritten by Sodexho Inc., a leading integrated food and facilities management services company in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are 1,139 such cities in the country today, each represented in the conference by its chief elected official.

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E-mail: jthalman@desnews.com