Rutherford Thrives, the TN-510 Continuum of Care, has completed its 2025 Housing Inventory Count (HIC) and Point-in-Time (PIT) Count. These annual efforts, conducted in alignment with HUD guidance, provide a snapshot of homelessness in our community on a single night in January.
Key Findings from the 2025 PIT Count:
Total number of people experiencing homelessness- 349
Percent sheltered- 22%
Number of individuals experiencing chronic homelessness- 146
Percent of chronically homeless individuals who were sheltered- 12%
Key Findings from the 2025 HIC:
Total number of year-round beds dedicated to homeless programs *this includes all Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) & Rapid Re-Housing (RRH)- 505
Beds filled the night of the count- 412
Bed utilization rate- 82%
Total number of units available by project type: Emergency Shelter (ES), Transitional Housing (TH), Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH), Rapid Rehousing (RRH):
ES - 52
TH - 22
PSH - 290
RRH - 78
Total Beds filled on the night of the count by project type:
ES - 32
TH - 18
PSH - 257
RRH – 78
|
Project Type |
Beds Available |
Beds filled |
Utilization Rate |
|
Emergency Shelter |
52 |
32 |
61.54% |
|
Transitional Housing |
22 |
18 |
81.81% |
|
Rapid Re-Housing |
78 |
78 |
100.00% |
|
Permanent Housing |
290 |
257 |
88.62% |
|
Total |
442 |
385 |
87.10% |
HUD has identified several areas for further clarification and potential system improvement:
- Low Rate of Overall Shelter Utilization
Only 22.06% of all individuals experiencing homelessness were in sheltered settings on the night of the count. This is significantly lower than national averages of 65% - 105%. (A rate above 100% can indicate system capacity issues, such as delayed client exits from the system and may reflect limitations in available shelter beds, barriers to access, or data quality concerns). We are reviewing this data to identify opportunities to expand or adapt shelter options. - Sheltering Rate for Individuals Without Children
Among people in households without children, and households with only children, only 13.36% were reported as sheltered. This raises concerns about unsheltered individuals facing significant housing instability without access to a crisis shelter. - Sheltering Rate Among Chronically Homeless Individuals
Of those identified as chronically homeless, only 4.62% were sheltered. This is a critical population with high vulnerability, and this low percentage may indicate limited capacity or access to appropriate shelter and housing options for individuals with long-term disabling conditions.
Rutherford Thrives, CoC TN-510, is committed to using this data to inform strategy, expand shelter capacity, reduce barriers to access, and prioritize housing solutions—particularly for individuals who are chronically homeless. We will continue to engage community stakeholders, service providers, and people with lived experience to ensure our response reflects both the data and the realities of homelessness in Rutherford County.
For questions or to get involved in our efforts to end homelessness in Rutherford County, please visit www.rutherfordthrives.org.