TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - A new state survey shows the number of homeless people in Florida is dropping.
The Department of Children and Families reported Monday that a recent survey found that just over 45,000 Floridians did not have a permanent residence.
That was a 17.5 percent drop from the previous year. The 2012 survey showed that nearly 55,000 people were homeless.
State officials contend that the drop in the number of homeless is a sign that the state's economy is improving. DCF officials said there were more than 60,000 homeless back in 2007.
DCF said that the survey is the result of a one-day count. It is taken from counts of the number of people in homeless shelters as well a survey taken from homeless camps, soup kitchens and other places.
