Homeless Census Underway in San Diego County

By Mario A. Cortez

Before sunrise, volunteers wandered out into the cold streets of the South Bay area to count and keep track of the homeless population of south San Diego county.

This is how volunteers participating in the We ALL Count initiative lead by the Regional Task Force on the Homeless in its efforts to find solutions to the homelessness problem in San Diego county and finding in-depth solutions for the homeless situation in the greater region.

Teams of three or four volunteers used maps to survey an area of about two to three blocks in an area where it is believed that there is a homeless population and keeping a census of how many people are residing in the assigned area.
This count is held in order to provide information to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Through this count, a general profile of the population of the streets can be created  to better understand the breadth and severity of this problem in our communities and across the country.

“Not one city can [end homelessness] on its own. This is a collaboration between community and local leadership coming together to share ideas, time and resources” stated Patty Chavez of South Bay services, the community organization in charge of the census efforts in the cities of Imperial Beach, Chula Vista, National City and other south lying areas of San Diego county.

“This count is  vital to understand population patterns on the streets” Chavez added regarding the count.
With the information gathered by the volunteers, plans and projections can be created to improve services where they are most needed.

“If one part of the county doesn’t have a homeless population, and we give them funds then that is ineffective’ explained Mauricio Torre of South Bay Services.

“We want to have an idea of what our population looks like and where it is to grant funds based on real data and not guesses on population numbers. We need numbers and other vital facts. It is how you gain an understanding the problem and plan an effective intervention” Torre continued.

It is also an objective to further understand where people seek refuge for the night. Especially in places such as river banks, coastal areas, near sewers and other areas prone to flooding considering the season’s rain projections.
Knowing what causes homelessness and finding solutions to the this problem are also two important goals of this investigation. Knowing how many local citizens are on the streets due to unexpected expenses, job loss, substance dependency or domestic abuse is vital information for this cause.

“We work with victims of domestic violence that run away from home and youth as well as veterans and others who don’t have anywhere to go. We want to give them services that match their needs” Chavez assured.
“Sometimes people have unexpected medical bills or they lose their jobs. Sometimes it is many things that lead someone to live on the streets” added Torre.

“We can know what’s going on when we have accurate information.”
Number from 2015 showed an increase of homelessness from 8,506 to 8,742 people without a roof over their heads; increase of 2.8% compared to 2014. And while there was a slight increase of people who found temporary shelter, the number of unsheltered homeless locals increased at a higher rate.

“For next year we would like to know exactly what happens in the specific cities that we observe.” Last year was the first year we analyzed numbers on a city basis and we could see that there was in increase compared to previous years.”
In addition to the count, volunteers conducted interviews with willing homeless residents in order to listen to their problems and find out their reasons for living on the streets.

With these objectives in sight, about 350 volunteers came out to help with this effort. This year saw an increase of about 100 volunteers compared to last year

“No one city can [fight homelessness] on its own. We need to collaborate between members of the community, and share our ideas, time and resources. Together we can put an end to homelessness” declared Chavez
“Many people are interested in improving life conditions in the South Bay. We have assembly members, elected officials and many more members of the community participating today. The South Bay always has the best turnouts.” emphasized Chavez.
“We are really proud of our community.”