Results from latest homeless count will have to wait because of pandemic
UPDATE: Officials will not discuss the results of the most recent homeless count at today’s Stanislaus Homeless Alliance meeting but instead will talk about how the result have been delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to Stanislaus County spokeswoman Amy Vickery.
Original story:
Officials will learn Wednesday the results of the most recent annual count of how many homeless people live in Stanislaus County and its cities.
The results will be discussed at the Stanislaus Homeless Alliance meeting. The public cannot attend the meeting in person because of new coronavirus restrictions but can attend by video conference or phone.
Stanislaus County spokeswoman Amy Vickery said the results of the count were not available Monday.
The annual homeless counts are conducted in January throughout the United States and are a requirement for homeless services providers that apply for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funding. The Stanislaus County tally from January 2019 turned up 1,923 people, with 1,400 of them in Modesto.
The counts, which are called point in time, are a snapshot of homelessness and should not be considered definitive. For instance, the counts don’t include people who don’t meet HUD’s definition of homelessness, such as someone who is couch surfing.
The alliance meeting agenda includes updates on homeless projects and initiatives, including the Kansas House, a project to transform a 103-room Modesto motel into permanent supportive housing for homeless people. Residents soon could move in to the project’s first 23 apartments, with the rest of the apartments expected to be ready by the end of this month.
The meeting is 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Members of the public are asked to log in or call in to the meeting a few minutes before it starts at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9884927162?pwd=b1ZjMzErL0JXdXVvVzNvcmk4QjVvdz09. The meeting ID is 988 492 7162 and the password is 102337. Call 1-669-900-9128 to join by phone, and use the same meeting ID and password.
Additional information on public participation is listed on the meeting agenda.
This story was originally published May 13, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
