Collier County senior homelessness triples in the last year; outpacing rest of the country

NAPLES, Fla. (WINK) — Homelessness among senior citizens in Collier County tripled in the last year, according to the Collier Homeless Coalition, and advocates that the problems are only getting worse.

Senior advocates say hurricanes and skyrocketing costs are driving what they see as a growing epidemic.

Federal data shows that adults over the age of 50 are becoming homeless at rates much higher than other age groups, but in Southwest Florida, those numbers are far outpacing the rest of the country.

When Hurricane Ian smashed into the coast of Southwest Florida, it left scars still visible. Bob O'Connor, a retired police officer and automotive sales manager who planned to live out his twilight years in paradise, found himself at the Campbell Lodge Shelter run by St. Matthew's House for the third time in four years, after one storm, four heart attacks, and a lack of affordable housing took that away from him.

"I never thought I would end up here. I'm just glad that it's here to help me. But boy, it's hard to ask for help sometimes," O'Connor said.

"I have the wherewithal; I can pay for (housing). But let's make more places available for people like myself. Instead of having to rely on St. Matt's," O'Connor said.

Ben Bridges, the CEO of St. Matthew's House, says on any given day, nearly 40% of the people staying at their shelter are senior citizens. The problems started with Hurricane Ian.

"That one emergency. That one disaster knocked them off their feet. It's so difficult to start over at that point in your life," Bridges said.

Homelessness among seniors has skyrocketed in recent years across the country. St. Matthew's House and the federal government both attribute a lack of affordable housing and rising healthcare costs as the two leading reasons why.

But Collier County stands out with the number of seniors experiencing homelessness tripling in the last year, according to the Homeless Coalition.

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"So often, folks that are experiencing homelessness have that stigma attached. It must have been a bad decision they made. It must have been an addiction. But the reality is, every story is unique," Bridges said.

"There's a lot more people out there than you would imagine. And unfortunately, they're very overlooked," O'Connor said.

For Alonzo Addison, it was a lifetime of addiction. WINK News first introduced viewers to Addison during March to a Million Meals when he was living in Goodland, relying on outreach from the food pantry, Our Daily Bread, just to get by.

"For me, it was totally the alcoholism. Nobody wants a drunk around. My friends didn't want me to come around. I couldn't get an apartment," Addison said.

Just a few months later, he found himself grateful to be living at St. Matthew's House and working to get sober.

"I feel relaxed and calm at night knowing I have a bed and food," Addison said.

Bridges says shelters are only a temporary solution. It will take all of society to fix this problem for a vulnerable population.

"We've got to make sure there are affordable options for everybody, particularly our older adult population," Bridges said.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness says if there is not a major turnaround, homelessness among seniors will triple across the country in the next five years.