San Luis Obispo County conducted its bi-annual Point-in-Time Count on Tuesday. The goal is to document the number of people experiencing homelessness in our communities.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires every county in the country to conduct a count of their homeless population every two years. This allows counties to meet federal and state requirements for funding opportunities and help shape policy decisions to address homelessness.
“Volunteers are paired with service providers, so they are part of a group with experience and knowledge regarding unsheltered homeless and they are going out in the community and surveying folks,” explained Kari Howell, San Luis Obispo County Program Manager.
All volunteers completed a two-hour training before conducting the count which included ways to engage with the people surveyed and how to use the survey app. There were about 200 volunteers in San Luis Obispo County conducting the count on Tuesday.
“There’s a survey on our phones and you're asking questions and getting more in-depth, doing it all within their comfort level, but it makes a big difference on what’s going to be delivered on that report and the truth-telling,” said Scott Pickford, volunteer.
In 2022, when the last count was conducted, the Point-in-Time Count survey found 1,448 people were experiencing homelessness in San Luis Obispo County and 80 percent of those surveyed were unsheltered.
County officials say they changed their methodology for the count this year which resulted in a need for more volunteers.
“I would say it was easy because we had the help of the media, people sharing word of mouth, telling their friends, inviting family to join them as well,” Howell said.
Many of the volunteers say the main reason they are helping with this count is to give back to the community.
“I’m very hopeful this will bear fruit for the people that need it,” said Bruce Taylor, volunteer.
San Luis Obispo County officials say the results of this year’s Point-in-Time Count should be available in the coming months.
