Officials are hopeful that an influx of federal funding is helping turn the tide for the homelessness problem in the county.

Starting several years ago Catholic Charities became the central intake for all people in the area who are either homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless and are seeking assistance.

Amber Crowe, program director for Catholic Charities, said that during the past three years Catholic Charities has seen a 21 percent decrease in the number of county residents seeking housing assistance on a monthly basis.

However, officials have estimated that the county’s homeless population is about triple what it was 10 years ago.

People seeking assistance include those who are literally homeless — meaning they have nowhere to stay — people who are staying with friends and family temporarily, people who are at risk of being evicted from their homes and people who are soon going to be released from prison or a treatment center.

“The goal nationally is to make homelessness rare, brief and nonreoccurring and we’re all very focused in on making that happen,” Crowe said.

Workers do assessments on needy people at its office in Butler and then refer them to the appropriate agency or see that they are placed on a waiting list.

Though the numbers fluctuate from month to month, the current average is 64 new people or families per month. Thirty percent of those are literally homeless, she said.

Amanda Feltenberger, an employee with Butler County Human Services, said the county is currently providing a rapid rehousing program funded by a $380,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. It is administered by the state Department of Community and Economic Development.

The grant, which the department also received in 2014, covers March of this year through June 2017. The department is planning to apply again for a third round of funding, Feltenberger said.

People seeking assistance with housing are not on a first-come, first-served basis; they are served in order of priority.

One of the top priorities is families with children.

“Families with young children who were literally homeless, if we put them in an emergency shelter for extended periods of time, we know it’s not good for kids,” Feltenberger said.

Their goal is to get people settled in an affordable apartment where they can eventually support themselves.

One problem that people encounter in the Butler area is the lack of affordable housing.

Fair-market rent for a three-bedroom apartment in the Pittsburgh metro area is $1,028 per month, according to HUD, the federal housing agency.

“We serve people, we connect them to resources and they still can’t afford a safe decent unit and that is difficult,” she said.

Another potential issue is finding housing that is safe. For example, some homeless people struggle with drug addiction and living somewhere where there are people nearby using illegal drugs can potentially hinder their recovery.

Feltenberger said officials are working to partner with more landlords in the Butler area.

It is difficult to know how many people in the area are actually affected by homelessness, because some who are impacted do not seek help or are unaware that they might qualify for assistance.

Even if they only qualify for one-time rental assistance, officials encourage people going through a rough time to have an assessment done, even if it is embarrassing.

“We always know when someone comes in and it’s their first time having a crisis. They are kind of reserved with how they answer questions,” Crowe said. “We always try to comfort people and let them know they need to be honest. Sometimes they don’t want to offer up information, but there may be something else they qualify for.”

To learn about housing assistance, call Catholic Charities at 724-287-4011 or visit at 120 E. New Castle St. during regular business hours.

For after hours, Butler County Crisis Services takes emergency calls at 800-292 3866.