Survey finds more homeless without shelter

By Santa Ynez Valley Star Staff · Tue Mar 17 2020

Staff Report

A survey in January to get a one-night “snapshot” of Santa Barbara County’s homeless population found slightly fewer homeless people than two years earlier, but also found a dramatic increase in the number living without shelter.

Countywide, 1,803 homeless people were counted, which includes 1,133 people (62 percent) unsheltered and 670 living in emergency shelters or transitional housing. In 2017, the official count was 1,860 people, with 893 (48 percent) unsheltered.

In addition, the number of people experiencing chronic homelessness increased by 87 percent over the two years.

The biennial “point in time” (PIT) count of homeless people was conducted on Jan. 24 by the Santa Maria/Santa Barbara County Continuum of Care (CoC). The count is mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Also participating were Northern Santa Barbara County United Way Home for Good, Applied Survey Research, Simtech Solutions and more than 500 volunteers.  

Highlights from the data include: