Ken Williams: Homeless Deaths in Santa Barbara, A Shocking Statistic

So far this year, at least 19 of our neighbors who have been pushed to the streets by personal demons, war, untreated and mistreated mental health issues, the disease of addiction, illnesses, injuries and the fallout from the Great Recession have died — a truly disheartening statistic. We need to keep in mind that, in comparison, 27 homeless people died in all of 2009. The average for the preceding years was in the low twenties. Also in comparison, Santa Monica, a coastal community comparative to our own in population averages 14 homeless deaths yearly.

This march of Death is astounding. I hardly have time to record and verify the avalanche of bad news before reports of yet still more fatalities flood my phone. I found last year’s spike in homeless deaths to be gut wrenching, but this is shocking. Nineteen and we are barely halfway through the year. And, I have another problem with this statistic. It is cold and uncaring — numbers only that do not recognize the flesh and blood — the who of each person in this shameful statistic.