County Employees Needed to Count the Homeless

Can you imagine living in the streets? Here in the San Diego region, thousands of people are experiencing homelessness. They need help, and you can assist by taking part in the annual Point-in-Time Count of the homeless population.

This is the fifth year the County has supported the annual count. During the span of several hours, volunteers count and survey the homeless they see in a certain area.

The count takes place Friday, Jan. 25, 2019 from 3:45 a.m. to 8 a.m. – one extra hour than in previous years.

The Board of Supervisors believes this is such a worthy cause that County employees who participate will be paid on County time.  

This year’s count, as directed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, will entail an “engaged” survey-based approach, where the homeless will be surveyed as they are encountered rather than just an observational count as done in previous years. To learn more about the 2019 changes, please watch this brief, three-minute video.

Last year, the region’s combined total came to 8,576 people, the fourth highest number in the nation. Importantly, the count helps the region identify the scope of the problem and find solutions on how to best serve this vulnerable population.

The Regional Task Force on the Homeless is leading the local point-in-time effort with the WeALLCount campaign. Hundreds of County workers from departments across the organization have taken part in past years, and employees are again encouraged to sign up for this important effort.

If you are interested in participating, review the FAQs and then obtain approval from your supervisor via the supervisor approval form.

If you have not yet signed up and would like to participate, sign up here.