Volunteers needed for Stanislaus homeless count; changes aimed at improving results

Organizers of the upcoming annual homeless count say the tally will be better planned and organized and encompass more of Stanislaus County in an effort to better respond to the growing homelessness crisis.

The count comes after the last one turned in disappointing results, in part because of organizational challenges and not having enough volunteers in the county’s smaller communities.

Organizers say volunteers play a big role in a successful count and are asking for about 200 people to donate their time. Volunteers will receive training and can work directly with the homeless or in support roles.

Information on how to volunteer is available at csocstan.com/get-involved/pit or by calling 209-525-6322. Volunteers need to be at least 18 years old.

The count will take place over two days. Homeless people in shelters and other temporary housing will be counted Jan. 23, and those living outdoors in parks, along creeks and rivers, and elsewhere will be counted Jan. 24.

The count is conducted on behalf of the Stanislaus Community System of Care — whose members include local governments and homeless service providers — and is required as part of applying for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funding to help the homeless.

HUD provides about $3.3 million annually through the Stanislaus system of care to homeless service providers, according to Maryn Pitt, a system of care board member and one of the count’s organizers. She also is assistant to Turlock’s city manager for housing and economic development.

These point in time counts are conducted every January in communities across the United States.

The counts provide a snapshot of homelessness and should not be considered definitive, but they increase awareness and give service providers valuable information — including how many homeless people are veterans — that allows them to tailor their services.

Previous counts in Stanislaus County and its cities have turned up about 1,200 to 1,800 homeless people, with most residing in Modesto.

Pitt said organizers are working with the county’s Office of Emergency Services to develop an incident action plan, which is a planning tool.

So organizers, who are working with OES Emergency Services Manager Melba Hibbard, are taking such steps as dividing the county into sectors, mapping out the areas where homeless people congregate, working with agencies that have frequent contact with the homeless, such as police departments, and enlisting the help of local homeless experts to oversee the counts in their communities.

“This is an all-hands-on-deck (effort), and we appreciate everyone’s willingness,” said Pitt, who added that Turlock and its homeless service providers have used this approach for the last four years.

Pitt said HUD now is requiring that groups that apply for funding have a sound method in how they count the homeless, and these counts can be tied to other funding.

For instance, California has authorized $500 million in one-time money through its Homeless Emergency Aid Program to deal with the statewide crisis.

The Stanislaus Community System of Care is eligible for $7.2 million of that based on its 2017 homeless count, which turned up 1,661 people. The system of care has until Dec. 31 to apply for funding. But Pitt said there could be additional state funding tied to the results of the annual homeless counts.

This story was originally published October 30, 2018 at 4:18 PM.