Bay Area starts first homeless count in three years

The Bay Area is conducting its first homeless count in three years after delays caused by the pandemic and its resurgence.

The count begins this week and could have far-reaching implications on funding and policy, the Mercury News reported. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development calls for counties to conduct the survey every two years.

“It’s so important to understand a problem so you can solve a problem,” said Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf to the newspaper after helping with the count.

Counties are still adjusting to the pandemic. San Francisco didn’t accept volunteers this year, while Alameda and Santa Clara asked volunteers to work out of pods and avoid working with strangers.

Cities across the Bay Area have been trying to get creative to create more affordable housing and other solutions. South San Francisco will ask voters to allow the city to build more affordable housing on its own without the need of developers. San Francisco instituted safe sleeping zones aimed at providing safer locations where the unhoused could sleep.

The counties will also tally those who live in shelters and follow up with questionnaires that could provide more insight into the demographics of the homeless, whether they struggle with addiction or mental illness, and their former homes..

“I’m really interested in getting the data to really make the necessary changes to address the problem,” said John Gibson, who works with homeless veterans as an outreach specialist with Swords to Plowshares.

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[The Mercury News] — Gabriel Poblete