Welsh Government statistics have revealed the county, which has seen a rise of 59%, has the highest number of people sleeping rough
Wrexham has the highest rate of rough sleeping in Wales with numbers up nearly 60% in a year according to figures.
A snapshot sample revealed North Wales largest town had the most with 27 people spotted bedding down outside at night on November 3.
That worked out at two rough sleepers per 10,000 people in Wrexham according to statistics in a survey released by the Welsh Government.
The numbers were up 59% from the 17 people who were spotted during a similar count on the night of November 25, 2015.
Based on evidence gathered from organisations working with homeless people, it was estimated there were 61 people sleeping rough over a two week period in October in Wrexham, the highest rate in Wales at 4.5 per 10,000 people.
The number is nearly double the 31 people estimated to be sleeping rough during a similar survey in November 2015.
During the two week period in October the figures estimated there were 25 rough sleepers in Gwynedd, 14 in Conwy, five in Denbighshire, three in Flintshire and one in Anglesey.
The figures back-up reports by the Daily Post last year indicating the problem of homelessness and drug abuse is getting worse in Wrexham.
A shanty camp, which sprung up at the back of Benjamin Road, brought the issue under the spotlight in June.
Then further reports of makeshift dens emerged around the town, some littered with drugs paraphernalia including hundreds of syringes, sparking calls from community leaders to tackle the problem.
Wrexham council is now working in partnership with other agencies to draw up a strategy to get to grips with the issue.
Campaigns manager for Shelter Cymru, Jennie Bibbings, said: “We are seeing an increase in Wales in rough sleepers of 63% last year.
“There are a number of factors including austerity, change to benefits, a lack of affordable housing - its expensive to get into housing and easy to lose it and sometimes there is a problem with accommodation for the homeless.
“We need to work with rough sleepers to give them more skills, getting them more advice and support and also to look at a housing first model, which a lot of Europe is moving to where you get the homeless into homes and don’t make them homeless again when they have a relapse.”
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/wrexham-named-homeless-capital-wales-12541820
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