BELLINGHAM, Wash. — A grim milestone was set in Whatcom County: the homeless count there is the highest in recorded history.
Even more concerning, is the population being hit the hardest.
The newest numbers just released show 1,059 homeless people in Whatcom County. That's a 27% increase over the previous year.
A startling number of them, 15%, are senior citizens.
John Benckert is one of them.
He struggles to make it down the street in his wheelchair.
Over the past few winters, he lost a leg and half a foot to frostbite from sleeping in the cold.
"It’s tough, but all you can do is keep going," he said.
At 67, John’s years on the streets are carved in his face.
He was a railroad mechanic and trucker.
He says he lost his home in a family dispute and has been waiting for years to find permanent, affordable housing.
The system is a true pain, especially for a disabled person.
"That’s where comes in the headache part. Backaches, butt aches," he laughed. "Everything aches!"
John’s story is similar to countless seniors across the country.
Rising rents, escalating inflation and poor access to health care are pushing more seniors onto the streets.
According to Whatcom County’s annual Point in Time Census, since 2019, the number of homeless people 60 and older has increased 141% to 164 people.
"That’s my parents, that’s my grandparents. It’s heartbreaking," said Brittany Hargrove with Bellingham’s Lighthouse Mission shelter.
She says homeless seniors are an especially challenging population.
"For a lot of our seniors, it’s not enough just to place them in housing," Hargrove said. "They need someone to come in and prep meals, and do housekeeping and take them to appointments. There can be so many issues."
Federal census numbers show the percentage of homeless Americans over 55 is about 20%. That number is expected to triple by 2030.
For now, help is on the way in the form of beds specifically for homeless seniors at Lighthouse Mission’s new shelter, but they won’t be ready until next summer.
As for John, in addition to his amputations, he has memory issues.
"Our goal is to improve his quality of life," said Brittany. "John may never find housing. We pray against that, but if that's the case, we will be with him every step of the way."
John simply refuses to give up.
"Even when it gets bad I still have a positive attitude," he said. "They haven’t killed me yet. They're not going to beat me."