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Inadequate Services- Chronic homeless people often have to deal with <br />physical or mental disabilities, physical or mental illness, alcohol and <br />drug abuse, or domestic violence. According to 2000 Census, over <br />23,560 persons (8.5%) in Corpus Christi had a physical disability, over <br />21,670 (7.8%) had a work disability, nearly 14,160 (5.1%) had a mental <br />disability, over 10,750 (3.9%) had a sensory disability, and nearly 7,890 <br />(2.8%) had aself-care disability. There were nearly 97,100 (35%) <br />disabled people in the city in 2000. People with chronic disabilities <br />usually have greater service and support needs compared to people <br />with physical, mental, or addiction disorders. Some of the local shelters <br />in Carpus Christi are not accessible (eg: Metro Ministries Shelter for <br />Women) or the staff at local shelters are not trained to work with <br />disabled persons. Hence, homeless people with disabilities are forced <br />needlessly into institutions to access services, when they could live in <br />the community with appropriate services and support. <br />According to the U.S. Census, from 1970 to 1980, the population age 60 <br />to 64 in Corpus Christi grew by over 1,250, compared to an increase of <br />over 6,500 for the population group 65 years and over. This compares to <br />increases of 1,692 and 6,826 from 1980 to 1990, respectively, for the <br />same population groups. From 1990 to 2000, the age 60 to 64 <br />population dropped by 481, compared to an increase of over 5,130 for <br />the population group 65 years and over. It is anticipated that supportive <br />services for the elderly would increase locally, as well as nationwide, as <br />the "baby boomer" generation approaches retirement age. Table 3, on <br />the following page, shows the number of households by income group <br />for the lower-income elderly population. <br />17 <br />