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WASHINGTON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - As U.S. President Joe Biden vows to tackle the country’s housing affordability crisis, one group is trying to convince cities they can end homelessness outright armed with one thing: better data.
For homeless service providers across the United States, late January means the “point-in-time” count, in which volunteers spend a single night combing streets, parks and forests for people sleeping rough, or living in cars or tents.
The federally mandated count offers a key snapshot of the unhoused population, but the data has long been criticized by some homelessness advocates.
“It’s crazy,” said Jake Maguire, co-director of the anti-homelessness program Built for Zero at the national nonprofit Community Solutions. “We’re told it’s scientific, but it produces a very uncertain number.”
âPoint-in-Timeâ homeless count begins to help determine resource needs in Texas
Point-in-time homeless count By Bob Hallmark | January 28, 2021 at 8:02 PM CST - Updated February 1 at 7:03 PM
LONGVIEW, Texas (KLTV) - In an effort to allocate help resources, cities across Texas started counting the homeless population today.
Longview began the Point-in-Time Homeless Count, a coordinated effort to measure homelessness across Texas, in association with the Texas Homeless Network and volunteers.
Over a 24-hour period, trained volunteers will count and survey those who are staying in emergency shelters and living on the street, providing figures that will help determine how much and what type of resources are needed.
Need financial help as the pandemic continues? Here’s how to get assistance to avoid homelessness, Texans
Second round of funds $61M across the state aims to help prevent homelessness
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HOUSTON – There’s a new source of help for people facing homelessness due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs has announced more than $61 million has been awarded to approximately 50 organizations statewide to assist people experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness.
Here are the steps outlined on that page:
STEP 1: Select the type of help you need – This includes reduced-rent apartments, home repair and accessibility modifications, long-term rent payment help, utility bill payment help, emergency and homeless services, weatherization, help buying a home and homebuyer education and counseling, as well as a number of other resources.
Flashback to January 2020: Americans had vaguely heard about a respiratory illness in China, and limiting human interaction and wearing face coverings werenât a part of our daily routine yet.
Flash forward to January 2021: COVID-19 is changing how the Denton County Homeless Coalition will conduct its annual point-in-time count on Jan. 28 â a survey of the communityâs homeless population by organizations and volunteers, used to provide a snapshot of people who experience homelessness throughout the year.
â[Last year] went without a hitch,â said Elena Lusk, the director of housing initiatives for United Way of Denton County. âWe did everything that we could. It was amazing and we have an analysis up on our website.â