In conjunction with the count, King County’s Homeless Youth and Young Adult Initiative will run Count Us In, a voluntary survey for homeless and unstably housed youth between the ages of 12 and 25.
Advertisement
“Getting the accurate number of the homeless in the area is very helpful to everyone here because they’re all (working) in a housing program or shelter”, she said, pointing to the volunteers.
HUD also mandates the count be done in January, which further complicates local counts, since many homeless are itinerant, and may seek warmer climates at this time of year.
Outreach teams will use iPads to process information quickly and try to link those they find with immediate services, especially veterans. Reaching out to homeless veterans was a significant focus this year.
A group of volunteers is canvassing the area early this morning looking for people who slept unsheltered or in places not meant for human habitation. There’s been good progress and we can’t stop until we have everybody home.
This year, the count is happening a little differently.
“I think the major strength, though, is the continuity over time”, said Wright.
Several dozens of squads fanned out across Atlanta in two shifts to survey the homeless population and get a sense of the way they live. None of the Valley’s members sit on the Los Angeles City Council’s Homelessness and Poverty Committee. She said they will get help them to get off the streets and deal with issues that brought them there.
Advertisement
“It’s significant because the city and county have stepped up to the plate, not only with plans but with financial resources to back those plans”, she said.
