Aaron Couch does a bang-up job reporting on the dramatic increase in Philadelphia’s homeless population (http://phillyimc.org/en/2007/10/42620.shtml). Citing a recent census by the city’s outreach teams, Couch reports that this past summer, the city counted at least 621 people on our streets, the highest number in a decade and more than double four years ago. The study also says the city lacks at least 60,000 units of affordable housing.

As we know, the Affordable Housing Trust was established in 2005, after a significant Council fight, for a mere $15 million. Community advocates had fought for far more dollars, pointing to other cities like Chicago which had put forward tens of millions of dollars toward similar efforts.