OKLAHOMA CITY — Homelessness in the U.S. is rising rapidly, with smaller communities like Oklahoma City seeing increases more than double the national rate. The local government is working with dozens of nonprofit and faith-based organizations to turn homelessness into housing.

A homeless man named Timothy Gadberry told CBN News that homelessness is “scary.”

He said the worst part was: “The unknown, not knowing where your next meal is going to be. Where you sleep, who attacks you.”

Gadberry has been homeless for three years, falling through the cracks of a system he believes has left him behind.

“There is no life to go back to – I feel like a dead man leaving,” Gadberry said.

A staggering number of over 650,000 Americans are homeless each night.

Killie Austin is one of them. “I was so hungry I almost cried because I didn’t know what to eat,” she told us.

Homelessness is at an all-time high in the last 15 years, increasing by 12% this year alone. Here in Oklahoma City, they are seeing a 28 percent increase, more than double the national average.

READ America’s Housing Crisis: Exploding Costs and the Search for Affordable Housing Solutions

In response, the city has adopted a “housing first” approach that has been successful in communities like Dallas and LA. The Encampment Rehousing Initiative aims to house 500 homeless people in open housing units without conditions within two years.

“It’s a $13 million, two-year program,” said Erika Warren of the Key to Home Partnership. The group is a partnership of more than 50 organizations and nonprofits that work to find available housing for those in need. Catholic Charities is an important player.

“I don’t tell my mother about the times I saw a man running to the apartment complex with a gun. Or I don’t tell my mother about the time I stepped on a used needle, or, you know, that’s reality, right? People of all faiths, races and walks of life experience homelessness together,” said Rachel Goldin of Catholic Charities.

Although the work involves danger, Goldin strives to change lives one apartment at a time. She says it’s a balancing act between landlords and service providers to make sure everyone is on the same page. If you live in OKC, you may live near people she has helped.

“Homeless people or people experiencing homelessness are just like you and me,” Goldin said. “We’re all two or three bad paychecks away from being in this situation.”

In Oklahoma City, the cost of a one-bedroom apartment is skyrocketing, leaving many people struggling to make ends meet. Nearly 75% of monthly minimum wage income goes toward rent in OKC.

It is nearly impossible for low-income residents to afford stable housing. The problem isn’t just affecting Oklahoma, it’s a growing crisis nationwide.

“Just be friendly, maybe ask them if they need a hug. Someone who might sit with them and talk to them for a bit. “Many people don’t need financial help, they need someone who really cares about them,” said Killie Austin.

As the Key to Home program moves forward, the goal is not only to reduce homelessness, but also to help restore dignity and rebuild lives. Advocates emphasize that success is measured by whether people receive the support they need to have a home, remain stable and contribute to their communities.

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