Counting those who are unhoused

By Mary-Justine Lanyon

Sixteen volunteers set out in teams of two on Thursday, Jan. 25 to count people on the mountain who find themselves unhoused.

The volunteers had received in-person training for the Point in Time Count on Jan. 16. In the training, they learned how to approach any homeless folks they encountered and how to administer the survey. To accomplish that, they downloaded an app onto their phones.

Then, on Jan. 25, they gathered at St. Richard’s Episcopal Church in Skyforest and got some last-minute instructions from Sue Walker, president of the Mountain Homeless Coalition.

Walker stressed that the survey is confidential; to that end, the volunteers were only to note down a participant’s initials, rather than their full name.

The purpose of the Count, she explained, is to obtain funding and resources to meet the unaddressed needs of the homeless.

Each team took with them “incentive” bags containing toiletries, some of which were collected by California Bank & Trust and others were donated by the Rotary Club of Lake Arrowhead. They also had $25 Stater Bros. gift cards to give to those who participated.

Teams spread out throughout the mountain communities, from Cedarpines Park to Running Springs. There were four fixed locations where unhoused individuals could go to be counted. 

At the end of the counting period – which ran from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. – the volunteers returned to St. Richard’s and reported in. In the Rim communities, the volunteers counted 27 individuals. In the past, Walker has said the county suggest they triple the number actually counted to account for those were not visible.

“It can be disappointing for a team not to encounter anyone who is homeless,” Walker said. “But it is as important for us to know where they are not as it is to know where they are.”

The Point in Time Count is conducted nationwide at the end of January and is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The Count conducted on the mountain is led by the Mountain Homeless Coalition, which was created six years ago. Last year, the Coalition received a record 1,349 requests for assistance, up 55 percent from 2022. They provided motel stays for 204 people in 2023 – 1,731 motel nights at an average cost of $67 a night for a total cost of $116,075.

The Coalition also helped 60 individuals in 30 households stay in their homes through rental assistance – three times the 2022 number. Their ultimate goal is to provide permanent housing.

For more information on the Mountain Homeless Coalition, visit www.MountainHomelessCoalition.com.