The annual Point-in-Time Homeless Count was delayed a month due to the winter coronavirus surge, sending San Bernardino County volunteers and officials early Thursday, Feb. 24 to search for vulnerable residents.
It is the first such census in two years. The 2021 deadline count has been canceled due to the pandemic. Officials planned to take the count in January this year but postponed it to await a surge in COVID-19 cases fueled by the Omicron variant.
Early Thursday, about 800 volunteers and officers spread throughout San Bernardino County to speak to homeless residents for the census, which is part of a federal mandate. The information collected each year is used to allocate funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and is used to guide local efforts to help the homeless. Experts believe the national point-in-time count almost certainly undercuts the number of people without permanent housing.
It will be several months before the results of the San Bernardino County census, as well as the counts that took place this week in Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties, will be tallied.
Dominic Sincak, 50, who lives in a tent near the storm drain in the Muscoy area of San Bernardino, keeps his eyes closed from the early morning sunlight as members of the Homeless Outreach and Proactive Enforcement HOPE team collect information from the homeless San Bernardino County Annual Point-In-Time Count, an annual tally of the area’s homeless population as of Wednesday, February 23, 2022. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, Anytimekartz/SCNG)
San Bernardino County 5th District Supervisor Joe Baca Jr., center, and members of the Homeless Outreach and Proactive Enforcement, HOPE team, investigate Wednesday, February 23, 2022, during the Annual San Bernardino County Point-In-Time Count , an annual census of the region’s homeless population. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, Anytimekartz/SCNG)
Lilly Miranda, 65, who lives in a tent near a storm drain in the Muscoy area of San Bernardino, holds one of her dogs as members of the Homeless Outreach and Proactive Enforcement, HOPE team, search the area for the homeless during the San Bernardino The County’s Annual Point-In-Time Count, an annual census of the region’s homeless population as of Thursday, February 24, 2022. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, Anytimekartz/SCNG)
Lilly Miranda, 65, who lives in a tent near a storm drain in San Bernardino’s Muscoy area, chases after her dog while members of the Homeless Outreach and Proactive Enforcement, HOPE team, search the area during San Bernardino County for the homeless search annual Point-In-Time-Count, an annual census of the region’s homeless population on Thursday, February 24, 2022. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, Anytimekartz/SCNG)
San Bernardino County parole officer Victoria Whitworth, left, speaks with Lilly Miranda, 65, who lives homeless with her dogs near the storm drain in the Muscoy area of San Bernardino, Thursday, February 24, 2022, on Thursday, February 24, 2022 as members of the Homeless Outreach and Proactive Enforcement, HOPE team, conducts the annual San Bernardino County Point-In-Time Census. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, Anytimekartz/SCNG)
Lilly Miranda, 65, who has been living homeless near the storm drain in San Bernardino’s Muscoy area for a year, unties her dogs while members of the Homeless Outreach and Proactive Enforcement, HOPE team, search the area during San Bernardino County homeless search annual point-in-time census on Thursday, February 24, 2022. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, Anytimekartz/SCNG)
San Bernardino County Probation Officer Victoria Whitworth tours a homeless camp near the storm drain in the Muscoy area of San Bernardino Thursday, February 24, 2022, as members of the Homeless Outreach and Proactive Enforcement, HOPE team, the annual San Bernardino County direct Point-In-Time Count. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, Anytimekartz/SCNG)
A dog sticks its head out of a tent at a homeless camp in the Muscoy area of San Bernardino Thursday, February 24, 2022, during members of the HOPE team from Homeless Outreach and Proactive Enforcement the annual Point-In time count. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, Anytimekartz/SCNG)
Lilly Miranda, 65, who has been homeless for a year with her dogs near a storm drain in the Muscoy area of San Bernardino, speaks with members of the Homeless Outreach and Proactive Enforcement HOPE team as they search the area during the Homeless Search Annual San Bernardino County Point-In-Time Count, an annual tally of the area’s homeless population as of Thursday, February 24, 2022. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, Anytimekartz/SCNG)
Social Work Action Group, or SWAG, members Monica Sapien, executive director, left, and Ricardo Lezama, right, collect information from Lilly Miranda, 65, who is living in a tent near the storm drain in San Bernardino’s Muscoy neighborhood during the annual San Bernardino County Point-In-Time Count, an annual census of the area’s homeless population as of Thursday, February 24, 2022. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, Anytimekartz/SCNG)
What happens during the count?
Volunteers interview residents in homeless camps, shelters and elsewhere. In addition to just counting, volunteers and officials question them, asking if they are veterans (and thus eligible for additional services), their medical situation, if they have children living with them, what city they lived in when they became homeless, how long they were are already homeless and more.
What was the result of the last count?
In 2020, San Bernardino County identified 3,125 homeless individuals, including 2,390 who were homeless, meaning they had slept in a private or public place not designed as normal sleeping accommodation the night before, and 735 in homeless.
Are more resources on the way?
Yes. On Thursday, February 24, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the San Bernardino County will receive a $1.7 million grant earmarked to provide housing for 150 homeless residents of the county.
The announcement comes a week after a new poll found that 66% of registered voters said Newsom is doing a “bad” or “very bad” job at tackling homelessness.
What new initiatives is the county pursuing to reduce homelessness?
In June, the district created a new senior-level position that will focus full-time on the district’s homelessness efforts, coordinate among several district departments and offices, and reconsider existing efforts, according to district spokeswoman Felisa Cardona.
