WEBVTT MINUTES. ERIC: THANK YOU, RILEY. WELL IOWA’S HOMELESSNESS RATE IS , SLIGHTLY DOWN THIS YEAR. AN ANNUAL REPORT FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT SHOWS THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE HOMELESS IS DOWN 15%. THE NUMBER OF HOMELESS IN THE STATE IS DOWN BY ABOUT EIGHT PEOPLE. EVEN THOUGH THAT’S ONLY ABOUT .3%, ONE HOMELESS SERVICE GROUP SAYS NUMBERS ARE TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. >> IT IS ALWAYS EXCITING TO SEE THAT FEWER PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THE TRAUMA OF HOMELESSNESS. ALWAYS, EVEN IF IT’S JUST A SMALL NUMBER. IT’S GREAT TO KNOW A FEW MORE PEOPLE ARE IN THEIR OWN HOME, SAFE AND SOUND THAN THEY WERE LAST YEAR. ERIC: THE REPORT SAYS THE NUMBER OF THOSE WHO ARE HOMELESS FOR MORE THAN A YEAR INCREASED BY 8%. IN TOTAL, IOWA HAS 2700 PEOPLE CONSIDERED CHRONIC