By DOUGLAS W. MOTLEY
Senior Writer
According to county officials, the 14th annual Point in Time homeless count, sponsored by the Mountain Homeless Coalition, on Thursday, Jan. 23, resulted in contact with an estimated two dozen homeless individuals residing in makeshift tents and open-air locations between Crestline and Big Bear.
In order to enhance their personal safety and protect their right to privacy, specific locations of these individuals and their encampments is not permitted by the county’s Interagency Counsel on Homelessness.
An apparently occupied makeshift tent was found in a public park during this year’s Point in Time homeless count.
Prior to the count, a 9 a.m. organizational meeting was held at St. Richard’s Episcopal Church in Skyforest, where Sue Walker, founder and current president of the Mountain Homeless Coalition, met with 17 organizers, counters and other participants to explain the rules and expectations of the counting, as required by the San Bernardino County Interagency Counsel on Homelessness.
Walker, who became active in the coalition following a 28-year career in teaching at the elementary school level, said nine homeless individuals were contacted in the area stretching from Cedarpines Park to Arrowbear during the first count in 2016. “Last year, we counted and helped 34 persons by giving them gift bags containing socks, mittens, blankets, warm hats and solar chargers for their cellphones,” she said.
After handing out maps of the various mountain communities and a list of required questions to ask homeless individuals who are encountered, Walker said, “You have to ask every question and fill in the age and ethnicity of each homeless individual.” She explained that counters would be using their cellphones to enter counting figures and other data collected from those who are contacted. Then she instructed counters and lookouts to never raise their voice or argue with anyone.
“As a lookout, be aware of dangerous situations and say, ‘Let’s go,’ if there is about to be a confrontation or any other dangerous situation.”
When the hour-long meeting ended, volunteers left the church lobby, retreated to their cars and disbursed to the various mountain communities in search of those who might need help.
This reporter departed for Crestline, where homeless individuals are frequently encountered in the Lake Drive business district, as well as Top Town Crestline and Valley of Enchantment. However, following two days of searching in an area where temperatures were hovering in the mid-twenties, no homeless persons were found, although one apparently occupied makeshift tent was located in a public park.
Adhering to the homeless count rules, no attempt was made to contact anyone who may have been occupying the ragtag structure.
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