Homeless Point-In-Time Count rescheduled to Feb. 23
By Santa Ynez Valley Star Staff · Tue Mar 17 2020
County still seeking volunteers for count that was originally set for January
Staff Report
To ensure the health and safety of volunteers, staff and people experiencing homelessness, Santa Barbara County has made the decision to reschedule the countywide Homeless Point-in-Time Count to Wednesday, Feb. 23, from 5:30 to 8:30 a.m.
Volunteers who had registered for the original date of Jan. 26 have been contacted regarding the new date, and the county is still seeking several hundred volunteers.
The semi-annual count is to tally the number of individuals and families experiencing homelessness on a given day.
Teams of volunteers will canvass assigned routes throughout the county and briefly document who is experiencing homelessness. This information is used to plan local homeless assistance systems, justify funding and raise public awareness. Volunteers will be trained to help count on the survey day.
Those who wish to volunteer can sign up at countyofsb.pointintime.info.
“With everything that has happened over the past two years, the Point-in-Time Count is more important than ever,” said Jett Black-Maertz, senior housing program specialist for Santa Barbara County’s Community Services Department. “It is important that we have an accurate count; we can’t do that without the help of volunteers."
The following COVID-19 safety measures have been established for the 2022 count: