MENDOCINO Co., 2/10/22 — At least every other winter, local service providers across the county conduct an annual “Point In Time” (PIT) count, in which volunteers count the numbers of unhoused residents sleeping in emergency shelters, transitional housing, or outside on one particular day or night. This year, the count will take place on February 23, and the county’s Homeless Services Continuum of Care group is seeking volunteers to assist with the effort.
The PIT survey is a key metric used to allocate federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for local programs, and also provides local officials with a measure of how many people may be unhoused — so accuracy is important. The count is typically conducted with the goal of tallying how many people may be unsheltered during the harshest conditions, and during a season that is unlikely to include travelers. Mendocino County’s most recent PIT count took place in January, 2020 and the draft report shows a total of 751 people in 700 households, a slight increase from 681 people counted in 2019. Reports from previous years are available at the county’s Homeless Services website.
The PIT count seeks to encompass the entire county,and volunteers are needed for the coast, as well as inland in both southern and northern Mendocino County. Due to the ongoing pandemic, volunteer training will be conducted virtually. People interested in volunteering can sign up at at https://Mendocino22.PointInTime.info/ or can contact Veronica Wilson at [email protected] or (707) 468-7071 with questions.
Here’s the announcement from Mendocino County:
The Mendocino County Homeless Services Continuum of Care (MCHSCoC) will be conducting its annual unsheltered Point-In-Time (PIT) Count which will begin at sunset on February 23, 2022, and run through the following week. The Point in Time (PIT) Count is mandated by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and is used by the State of California and multiple Federal Departments to calculate allocations of homeless services funding. The data received through the PIT Count will help our local community to identify needs and develop planning to engage and support those persons experiencing homelessness throughout Mendocino County.
The Continuum of Care is a group of agencies that consist of service providers, non-profits, faith-based organizations, concerned community members, and Mendocino County staff. These individuals and agencies come together to help address the needs of those who are experiencing homelessness or are at-risk of homelessness. This undertaking requires a lot of individuals performing a lot of different tasks in preparation for this event, as well as surveying individuals and families experiencing homelessness throughout Mendocino County. We need volunteers to count along the Coast as well as Southern and Northern Inland portions of Mendocino County.
If you would like to volunteer, please sign up at https://Mendocino22.PointInTime.info/. If you have questions or would like further information, please contact Veronica Wilson at [email protected] or (707) 468-7071.
