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West Palm Beach mayor says homeless population declining

Posted at 5:25 AM, Mar 01, 2018
and last updated 2018-03-01 05:25:42-05

West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio said the city is seeing fewer homeless people on the streets.

New numbers show the homeless population is down 14 percent in the last year.

There were nearly 500 people who were homeless in West Palm Beach at the end of 2016. In January 2017 that number dropped to 426.

The mayor said nearly 40 of those people were helped by city programs.

“Cities have a role to play in improving the overall quality of life for all our residents, and that's what we're doing in West Palm Beach. We've been working, and continue to work, for those who need our help transitioning into a more productive life off the streets,” said Muoio.

The mayor said the city is working with the county to add more beds at the Senator Philip D. Lewis Homeless Resource Center, Palm Beach County’s first homeless resource center.