Point-in-time count to survey local homeless
- Lake County News reports
- Posted On
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Tuesday, Jan. 23, the Lake County Continuum of Care will hold a point-in-time count to count the sheltered and unsheltered homeless individuals and families in Lake County.
The point-in-time, or PIT, count will help the Continuum of Care obtain a better understanding of homelessness in our community and needed services and resources. It will also make Lake County eligible for funding for homeless services.
In addition to mobile teams canvassing the county, survey sites will be open on Jan. 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in locations throughout the county:
– Clearlake: Youth Center in Redbud Park, 4750 Golf Ave.
– Clearlake Oaks: Methodist Church Youth Center, 12487 The Plaza.
– Kelseyville: Presbyterian Church, 5340 Third St.
– Lakeport: Veterans Service Office, 285 N. Main St.
– Lucerne: Community Church, 5870 Highway 20.
– Middletown: Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, corner of Washington and Armstrong streets.
The sites will offer flu shots, HIV/Hepatitis C testing, dog food and supplies, sandwiches and water.
Each person who is homeless and completes the confidential survey will be given a first aid kit, solar-powered flashlight/phone charger and other items.
“The point-in-time survey is an essential element in our ability to serve our local homeless individuals with appropriate resources and programs,” said Marylin Wakefield, PhD, MSW, PIT Committee chair. “If you know someone who is homeless, please encourage them to visit with a member of our survey team at one of the many locations.”
The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, requires all homeless continuums to conduct a point-in-time count of homeless individuals/families on a single date in January.
These counts provide an overview of the state of homelessness in the region and offer the information needed to direct services, funding and resources provided by the Continuum of Care.
The 2017 PIT Count identified 401 people who met HUD’s description of homeless. These results enabled Lake County to be competitive in applying for grant funding to provide rapid-rehousing and permanent housing for those who are homeless in Lake County. With the monies obtained from HUD, 26 people who were homeless have been housed since February of 2017.
Local private and public agencies partner through the Continuum of Care to improve services for those in the community who are homeless or are at risk of losing their housing.
HUD describes a Continuum of Care as “a community plan to organize and deliver housing and services to meet the specific needs of people who are homeless as they move to stable housing and maximize self-sufficiency. It includes action steps to end homelessness and prevent a return to homelessness.”