Baltimore Will Conduct Count Of Homeless Population in February, Scott Says
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore officials will conduct the city's count of people experiencing homeless next month, the Mayor's Office of Homeless Services announced Friday.
The Point-In-Time Count, as it's called, will start at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 26. Staffers and volunteers will attempt to survey people who are sleeping and sheltering in places not meant for human habitation and help connect them with housing and support services.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires any jurisdiction that receives federal funding for homelessness to conduct a Point-In-Time Count every two years in the last 10 days of January.
Baltimore City's Continuum of Care, a consortium of organizations that serve people experiencing homelessness and some Baltimoreans who have been homeless, requested a waiver to forego the 2021 count and delay the 2022 count "as a COVID-19 safety precaution," city officials said. The city's group is branded as Journey Home.
"The pandemic has exacerbated homelessness across our City," said Mayor Brandon Scott. "We have to account for all of our neighbors experiencing homelessness and ensure that resources are properly allocated so that they can access safe, secure housing."
Irene Agustin, director of the Mayor's Office of Homeless Services, said data collected from the count helps guide city resources.
"With the PIT Count, we can engage the community members who are most affected by homeless service efforts – those currently experiencing homelessness," she said.
Using data from the Homeless Management Information System, Journey Home estimates 5,230 people experienced homelessness at some point over the course of one year.
People who wish to volunteer with the count can register here.
