LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – The Lincoln Homeless Coalition says the city’s homeless population has reduced by half since 2012.

Volunteers identified 451 homeless individuals in the coalition’s most recent point-in-time homelessness count. The number is down by 25 percent from last year.

The coalition also says 16 homeless individuals were veterans, which is a 70 percent decrease from 2017.

Lee Heflebower is the housing director at Region V Systems. She says the coalition is close to ending veteran homelessness as the result of a concerted effort with the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Jeff Chambers is director of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Center on Children, Families, and the Law. He attributes this year’s decrease to Lincoln agencies knowing who is the most vulnerable, coupled with rapid re-housing programs.