MENDOCINO Co., 1/21/20 — Every year, in late January, cities and counties across the country conduct what’s known as the “point-in-time” homeless count, in which the number of unhoused people sleeping out, on a given night is tallied. This county is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for local governments seeking federal funding for local housing and homeless services. This year, the counting will happen in the early morning of January 30, and Mendocino County’s Health and Human Services is seeking volunteers to help with out.
The point-in-time count is designed to count the number of unhoused people in a particular area, and is held in January to get a more accurate count of people who are year-round houseless residents, as opposed to warm weather travelers, in order to ensure local government have an sense of how many people are sleeping outside. Mendocino County relies on federal funding to assist with local services, and much like the census, this count is one measure of how the federal government allocates funding, so an accurate count is important. People interested in volunteering should go to this website for more information on how to attend a training and participate. More information on previous year’s counts can be found here.
Many locals have expressed concern about Mendocino County’s unhoused residents, and how best to solve the problem of creating affordable housing and securing adequate services for those struggling to find shelter. The point-in-time count provides a snapshot into how many people are sleeping out in the dead of winter, by sending county staff and volunteers to parts of the county where homeless people often camp. This count is then used to apply for federal funding to expand local services.
Anyone interested in volunteering on January 30th 2020, should sign up by contacting Garry Colson at 463-7743 or [email protected].
Here’s the full announcement from HHSA:
2020 Point-In-Time Count in Mendocino County
Mendocino County HHSA press release
Volunteers Needed for the Morning of January 30, 2020
The Mendocino County Homeless Services Continuum of Care (MCHSCoC) is a group of agencies and individuals that have a shared purpose to help address the needs of those who are experiencing or at–risk of homelessness. The MCHSCoC consists of social service providers, non-profit agency staff, faith-based organizations, concerned community members; and Health & Human Services Agency staff. The MCHSCoC will be conducting its annual unsheltered Point-In-Time Count on the morning of January 30, 2020. The Point-In-Time Count is a requirement of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and is required for all entities in Mendocino County to be eligible for expanding federal and state funding for housing and homeless services for those in our local community.
The data received through this count will also help our local community to identify needs and develop planning to address those persons experiencing homelessness throughout Mendocino County. Volunteers are needed on the coast and inland of Mendocino County to work in teams, to count children, families and individuals experiencing street level homelessness.
For detailed information on the count or for information on how to attend a training in your area, visit www.handupnothandoutmendo.com/mendocinocounty–
homeless-services-continuum-of-care. If you would like to volunteer on
January 30th 2020, please sign up by contacting Garry Colson at 463-7743 or [email protected].