Coalition of Service Providers to Conduct Annual Count of People Experiencing Homelessness

Homeless Campsite - Photo Credit: Andrew Nixon/Capital Public Radio

The Eastern Sierra Continuum of Care (CoC), a coalition of homeless service providers, along with many partner agencies, will conduct its annual Point-in-Time Count of homeless individuals and families on Thursday, January 25, 2018.

During the early evening hours, staff and volunteers will visit campgrounds, parking lots and other places in the Eastern Sierra to find and survey people living outside. Nonprofit and faith-based service providers will also count the number of people that are temporarily residing in emergency shelter because they are without a home.

The surveys are completely anonymous and confidential, and the information is collected for evaluation by the CoC and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Information from the surveys will shed light on the extent and nature of homelessness in Inyo, Mono and Alpine Counties. The data will also be used to help plan and implement housing solutions to homelessness in our rural area.

The Homeless Count is a HUD requirement for the local CoC funding process, which brings over $300 million in federal funding to California each year to serve people experiencing homelessness. This funding provides permanent supportive housing, rapid rehousing, temporary shelter and supportive services to assist homeless persons.

If you have any questions about the Count or would like to volunteer to help conduct the census survey, please contact Karen Mansfield at 760-873-8557, extension 102, or kmansfield@imaca.net .

About the Eastern Sierra CoC

The CoC was established in October of 2013 and includes over 30 community advocates that promote, fund and implement programs to assist homeless families and individuals or those at risk of homelessness in Inyo, Mono and Alpine Counties.  The CoC Chair is Susi Bains from Wild Iris Family Counseling and Crisis Center. The agency responsible for planning and reporting activities is Inyo Mono Advocates for Community Action, Inc. (IMACA).

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