Title
Receive an oral presentation of the 2015 Monterey County Homeless Census and Survey Report from the Department of Social Services.
Report
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
Every two years during the last two weeks of January, communities across the country conduct comprehensive counts of their homeless populations in order to measure the prevalence of homelessness in each community. The biennial Point-in-Time counts of sheltered and unsheltered persons are required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for all jurisdictions receiving federal funding to provide homeless services for homeless individuals and families. Monterey County receives approximately $2 million in Continuum of Care (CoC) federal funding that supports county non-profit shelter and homeless service providers. The 2015 Monterey County Point-in-Time was a community-wide effort conducted on January 28, 2015. The results of the homeless count are enumerated in the 2015 Monterey County Homeless Census and Survey Report.
The Monterey County homeless count had two primary components: a Point-in-Time enumeration of unsheltered homeless individuals and families (those sleeping outdoors, on the street, in parks, or vehicles, etc.) and a Point-in-Time enumeration of homeless individuals and families who have temporary shelter (those staying in emergency shelter, transitional housing, or using stabilization rooms).
In Monterey County, the number of individuals counted in the general street count and shelter count was 2,308. Compared to 2013, this was a decrease of 282 individuals (12%). Homeless Services providers note that up to 8% of the decrease in numbers may be attributed to changes in methodology from the 2013 count. The Point-in-Time count had steadily risen from 2007 to 2013; this year's count marks the first time the County has experienced a period of decreased homelessness during the point-in-time count. Approximately 71% of all individuals counted in the 2015 census ...
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