WORCESTER, Mass. - Worcester's commissioner of health and human services is calling the city's homelessness issue the worst it's been since she's worked in the city. 

Dr. Mattie Castiel shared an update on the state of homelessness in Worcester at Tuesday night's city council meeting.

She said the city has multiple initiatives in place to try and improve what's become a very large issue, but more needs to be done and it starts with the community understanding homelessness and how someone ends up in this situation. 

“I think we have to stabilize people and get them ready to get a job and hopefully we can get them into an apartment” said Dr. Castiel. “But that's tough. I mean, we have, an availability of apartments that only a 2% of apartments are available. And as you know, the rents are incredibly high. We have clients here who may be with somebody, and they have an apartment, they're paying x amount of dollars. And all of a sudden, the landlord would say, “I'm going to charge much higher.” They can't do it. And so, people are leaving, and they may even give them $1,000 for people to leave. But then what? Then they can't find an apartment. So that increases the people who are out homeless and needs more assistance.”

Dr. Castiel said there has also been an increase in the number of homeless elderly people. 

She's hopeful between contractors, landlords, and everyday people... More can be done to help the population.