The Riverside County annual Point in Time (PIT) homeless count saw the largest volunteer turnout the survey has ever had, the county said in a press release.
More than 1,000 volunteers organized for the General PIT count, and approximately 300 volunteers participated in the youth PIT count. Results from this year's count will be available in the spring.
“This is a critical issue for our county and not just for us working in local government, but all of our neighbors who recognize that it is a humanitarian issue; it’s a quality of life issue," Heidi Marshall, director of Riverside County Department of Housing & Workforce Solutions, said. "I think that’s why you see the number of volunteers has gone so high this year.”
That record number of volunteers represented not only the county and all 28 communities but colleges, universities, and community- or faith-based organizations, according to the release.
The PIT count for both its general and youth categories kicked off on Wednesday, Jan. 25. However, the youth count ran until Friday, Jan. 27, with a volunteer turnout of approximately 300.
The 2022 count recorded a total of 1,980 unsheltered homeless individuals on the county's streets with an additional 1,336 homeless residents lodged in shelters. This represents an increase in overall homeless persons from 2021, although the number of those unsheltered decreased, the press release said.
According to the 2022 Homeless PIT count infographic, there were a total of 237 unsheltered youth (ages 18-24) and 75 sheltered youth. They accounted for 9% of the total count. However, in comparison to 2021, there was a 4% decrease.
Other subpopulations recorded in the count include veterans, seniors over 62 and families with children. In 2022, the senior homeless population showed a 22% increase, while families with children had an 83% increase. The veterans count demonstrated a 22% drop from the year 2020.
When the county initially put out the call for volunteers, it explained that an accurate PIT count can result in appropriate funding for communities trying to solve the problem of homelessness, a release from the county said.
“The data gathered from the count informs us where our services are needed most. It is so important that we all support the count so that every person experiencing homelessness is identified," Riverside County Board of Supervisors Second District Supervisor Karen Spiegel said.