Homeless population increases in Oklahoma City

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A recent survey shows that Oklahoma City's homeless population has increased by five percent over the past year. <br/><br/>Workers with the Homeless Alliance and the Coalition

Saturday, June 17th 2006, 12:19 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A recent survey shows that Oklahoma City's homeless population has increased by five percent over the past year.

Workers with the Homeless Alliance and the Coalition for the Needy say they added two new counting locations to the survey. They say that could attribute to the increasing number.

The city's homeless population was estimated at about 1555 people in a one night census.

Officials usually multiple that number by four or five, meaning the city's homeless could include between six to eight-thousand people.

Other findings from the count showed that 28 percent of those surveyed had been homeless for more than a year. And that 18 percent of the homeless said they were veterans.

Another 28 percent reported being mentally ill.