Wheeling Conducts Point In Time Homeless Count
Exercise Gives City Officials, Service Providers An Idea Of City’s Homeless Population
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WHEELING - The Northern Panhandle Continuum of Care has completed its Point in Time Homeless Count, a 24-hour event that involves counting homeless people and asking them questions about their homelessness.
Melissa Adams, homeless liaison for the city of Wheeling, said the results of the survey conducted by agencies across the Northern Panhandle will be compiled and turned into a report. She estimated the final report will be finished in about two months. A simple headcount will likely be available in a couple weeks. She noted at the Life Hub homeless shelter in Wheeling alone there were 50 homeless people counted.
"It happens across the country at the same time. Agencies collaborate together and count every homeless individual from 4 p.m. Wednesday until the following day at 4 p.m.," she said.
Adams said this is the first year she has organized the panhandle's point in time count. She noted the effort takes many volunteers to conduct the count and accompanying surveys. Homeless individuals can refuse to participate in the survey.
"All that data and information is gathered together to make a report and sent to HUD," she said of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. "It helps with housing, data tracking and a multitude of things.
"I will be distributing the report to agencies and they can use it for grants. It's also a way for HUD to monitor how many there are, though it's not an exact count."
Adams noted team captains and volunteers were trained in each county to help conduct the count.
"We had a great turnout of help. It couldn't have been done without all the people who volunteered for sure," she said. "It was successful. The homeless individuals I worked with were very gracious and sat down and were willing to answer questions. It was very well received by the homeless community."
R.J. Konkoleski, CEO of Helping Heroes Inc. of Wheeling, said the count is important for his agency and others who help the homeless. Helping Heroes helps military veterans who are homeless or are in danger of becoming homeless.
"It helps the continuum of care and the homeless in several ways. First and foremost it is the metric of success or progress in the effort to reduce homelessness in our area," he said. "Additionally, it helps identify needs such as the number of shelter beds available or the availability of shelter beds for specific populations, such as families with small children or the disabled."
He noted there currently is not enough shelter available to meet the needs of the local homeless.
"When such a condition exists, the data can be used by organizations to apply for funds for program expansion or new initiatives to help meet the need," Konkoleski said. "Annual funding from HUD to the continuum of care uses the point in time count data as part of the funding formula.
"It directly benefits the homeless by accurately capturing the need and making the case for the appropriate availability of services like rental assistance, housing placement assistance, and case management," he added.
Konkoleski said because of the recent incidents surrounding the homeless in the city, to some it may feel like the point in time count is more significant this year.
"I feel like there is more attention than usual; it's not more important than usual," he said. "People are starting to take notice of it. It's part of that process that happens all over the country. ... Some folks are realizing the importance because of the added attention."
Konkoleski said last year's count showed there were 122 homeless people in the panhandle. He noted HUD defines homelessness as "a person without permanent housing or who is living in a place not meant for human habitation (in a car, under a bridge)."
"The Point-in-Time count is a count of sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January," he said. "The date is selected by HUD. Many providers of services to the homeless take issue with the timing of the count, as being in the cold of winter makes the count increasingly difficult to conduct and likely makes the result under-reflect the reality.
"HUD requires that continuums of care conduct an annual count of people experiencing homelessness who are sheltered in emergency shelter, transitional housing, and safe havens on a single night," he added.
The City of Wheeling, Konkoleski said, is the lead agency for the Northern Panhandle Continuum of Care and leads organizing the count.
"This year, volunteers from local assistance agencies as well as community volunteers visited locations where the homeless frequent for services and any remaining campsites where the homeless live," he said. "There is a quick paper survey and a name is not required. The volunteers undergo training beforehand and sign confidentiality agreements. When they have finished, they return the forms to the lead agency who enters the data into the HUD system electronically."
In addition to people living in camps and shelters, homeless people living in other temporary shelters including hotels paid for by charitable organizations or agencies are counted as homeless. However, those living in transitional housing are considered "sheltered persons experiencing homelessness." Veterans living in emergency shelters are to be included in the "sheltered count."