COLORADO SPRINGS — On Monday over 60 people hit the streets to conduct El Paso County’s annual Point in Time Count, which aims to count all of the people experiencing
homelessness in the area.
The survey asks people where they slept the night before, whether that's in an emergency shelter, a transitional shelter, or simply on the street. The survey provides a snapshot of the county's homeless population to report to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The agency requires communities to send in the report at least every two years to receive federal funding to address homelessness.
“We’ve seen some funding dry up as COVID funds have dried up and what impact that will have on the number of people experiencing homelessness I think, you know, this year’s count will be a good indication of that," said Scott Correa, a project specialist with Community Health Partnership, the organization that conducts the survey.
For the past two years, those experiencing homelessness have been paid to help conduct the survey. Correa said these people have better access to some areas that outreach workers are not able to go to, which gives them a more accurate count. He said there are times people choose not to participate in the survey because they don't trust where the data will go.
Kristy Milligan, the CEO of Westside CARES, said this year there are seven people experiencing homelessness that helped with the survey. She said their help last year resulted in 100 more unsheltered persons reported. In 2022, 267 people reported being unsheltered and in 2023 there were 374 people reported as unsheltered.
“One of the challenges we experience in this very complex problem is that we are not making the people that our solutions are designed for a part of that solution. And this really brings them to the table as leaders," said Milligan.
Milligan said the weather can also determine how many people are reported as unsheltered versus staying in a shelter. Regardless, she said the numbers are important to determine what resources the county needs more of, whether that's beds in emergency shelters or more housing vouchers.
Correa said the report will be published in the spring, which will paint a clearer picture of what funding is needed where.
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