On Tuesday evening, Los Angeles County will begin its annual, three-day “point in time” count of the homeless population. Thousands of volunteers will fan out with clipboards across the city to get a snapshot of the county’s sheltered and unsheltered homeless population — one of the largest in the country.
How does the count work?
The results normally get released in May or June and are used by government officials to determine funding priorities for housing and services, and by the public to assess how much progress has been made on stemming the tide of homelessness.
Here’s what you need to know. Estimating the county’s homeless population is no small feat. The count takes place over several days. It starts Tuesday in the San Gabriel and San Fernando valleys. On Wednesday, it picks up in West Los Angeles, Southeast Los Angeles, and the South Bay. And finally, on Thursday volunteers canvass the Antelope Valley, Metro Los Angeles, and South Los Angeles. With the exception of the Antelope Valley, where volunteers go out early in the morning, the count takes place late at night in the county’s roughly 2,160 census tracts. Last year, there were nearly 8,000 RSVPs to volunteer, according to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.
PHOTOS: 2020 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count In places that are tougher or more dangerous for volunteers to reach, such as in riverbeds and alleys, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department helps out. In all, the whole three-day exercise costs about $1.1 million, according to the homeless authority, which oversees the count.
By BENJAMIN ORESKESSTAFF WRITER
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-01-21/homeless-count-los-angeles-county-faq
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