A Monday afternoon forum at the Oak Ridge Jewish Congregation will focus on homelessness in Anderson County.

The speaker will be Rick Morrow, executive director of the United Way of Anderson County. He will address the question, “Is there really a homeless problem in Anderson County?”

The community forum starts at 2 p.m., and it’s sponsored by the Women’s Interfaith Dialogue, a press release said.

The release said 31 people were identified as unsheltered homeless in Anderson County in January 2012. Another 20 people were in shelters, and 34 more were “precariously housed” and almost homeless. That’s a total of 85 people in need of a home, the release said.

The primary causes for homelessness in Anderson County are job losses, a lack of affordable housing, underemployment or low incomes, domestic violence, and substance abuse, the release said.

Monday’s forum is expected to include information about initiatives to address the serious issue of homelessness in the area.

The Oak Ridge Jewish Congregation is at 101 W. Madison Lane.