Point-in-time count reveals fewer homeless individuals in Placer, Nevada counties

Results of the annual Point-in-Time survey of people experiencing homelessness locally were released this week, revealing numbers trending downward. Volunteers, nonprofit officials and city and county staff conducted the survey from Jan. 25 through Feb. 3 in Placer and Nevada counties. The 2023 count of sheltered and unsheltered people surveyed a minimum of 709 individuals experiencing homelessness in Placer County and a minimum of 496 in Nevada County. By comparison, the 2022 count surveyed a minimum of 750 individuals experiencing homelessness in Placer County and 527 in Nevada County. The county surveyed 407 unsheltered individuals in Placer and 227 in Nevada County. The effort was led by the Homeless Resource Council of the Sierras (HRCS), the lead organization in the region's Continuum of Care for homelessness. HRCS is a nonprofit collaborative comprised of members representing nonprofit and government agencies who coordinate resources and develop strategies to end homelessness in Placer and Nevada counties. A Point-in-Time (PIT) count is a one-night estimate of sheltered and unsheltered homeless populations. The PIT count provides the number and demographic characteristics of persons who are homeless on the night of the count, sheltered in emergency shelter or transitional housing; or unsheltered, on the street or in some other place unfit for human habitation. Financial support from Anthem, Kaiser Permanente and California Health and Wellness helped fund the PIT count. "These data alongside data collected and shared every day across public and private sector service providers are critical to direct how our local systems can better serve our unhoused neighbors. However, it is important to recognize the humanity within these data points," said Samuel Holmes, executive director of the Homeless Resource Council of the Sierras. "Behind these numbers are the human experiences of people living through the trauma of homelessness. For example, surveyors connected with an 81-year-old veteran living in his vehicle and over 20 families with children under the age of 3. It's also important to remember that these data represent the minimum count of individuals experiencing homelessness on a single night in January." Holmes said the timing for the survey isn't typically impacted by weather; however, January 2023 was wetter than January 2022. That may or may not have impacted results. The 2023 PIT count in Placer County identified 78 people who self-identified as survivors of domestic violence, 47 as veterans, 25 as unaccompanied youth and 311 as living with a mental health disability. In Nevada County, 50 individuals self-identified as survivors of domestic violence, 27 as veterans, 26 as unaccompanied youth and 209 as living with a mental health disability. Of adults who responded to survey questions in the 2023 PIT count, 37 percent were identified as chronically homeless in Placer County and 30 percent in Nevada County. People experiencing chronic homelessness are living with mental illness, substance use disorders, physical disabilities or other medical conditions and have been unhoused for one year currently or repeatedly over the last three years. "Permanent supportive housing is the best option we have to support those living with severe barriers," Holmes said. "Luckily, new resources are coming online to provide high-quality tools for our system to address comorbid mental and physical disabilities as well as social determinants of health for the most vulnerable and hardest to find appropriate housing for in our community." Homeless individuals wishing to access basic shelter and housing services in Placer and Nevada counties should call 2-1-1 to be connected to services. The Continuum of Care for Roseville/Rocklin/Placer County (CA-515) and the Continuum of Care for Nevada County (CA-531) are standing advisory committees to HRCS. HRCS is the collaborative applicant to apply for funds on behalf of the Continuum of Care and administrative entity for the Placer and Nevada counties' Continuums of Care.