The county of Orange released the results of the 2022 Point In Time Count on May 11. A total of 5,718 persons experiencing homelessness were counted. This is a 16.5% reduction from the last Point in Time Count, which was conducted in 2019.
Of the total counted, 2,661 were living in some kind of shelter, while 3,057 persons were unsheltered. Fullerton had a total of 272 homeless, or unhoused persons, with 70 sheltered and 202 unsheltered. This is a decline of 42.49% from 2019.
A volunteer conducts a survey for the 2022 Point in TIme Count. Photo by Saskia Kennedy.
Here are some of the findings:
-Veterans: 280
-Transitional Aged Youth (18-24): 235
-Seniors (62 and older): 718
-Men make up 73.5% of the unsheltered and 51.48% of sheltered
-Women make up 25.8% of the unsheltered, and 48.1% of sheltered
-41.45% of the unsheltered and 20.19% of sheltered report substance abuse issues
-32.19% of the unsheltered and 24.85% of the sheltered have a physical disability.
-29.53% of the unsheltered and 28.06% of the sheltered have mental health issues
-14.27% of the unsheltered and 1.89% of the sheltered have a developmental disability
-9.84% of the unsheltered and 10.97% of the sheltered have experienced domestic violence
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires that all counties across the nation complete a biennial unsheltered count and an annual sheltered count of all unhoused persons in the community on a single point in time during the last ten days of January.
The 2022 Point In Time was rescheduled to the end of February due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and to safeguard the health of volunteers and vulnerable persons experiencing homelessness. To read a first hand account by Observer reporter Jane Rands of the Point in Time Count process, click HERE.
The information collected through this process is self-reported and allows for a better understanding of the needs and challenges of people who are unhoused.
To read the full report click HERE.
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Categories: Regional
I participated in the Point in Time Count. One statistic not included in the report–for those unsheltered, how many prefer to remain unsheltered? We asked if they would go into a shelter and many said no. Some preferred be unsheltered, unwilling to be subject to rules and confines of a shelter. This year we were accompanied by law enforcement–this was helpful because they knew where homeless congregated. Thank you to our police and sheriff deputies.
And yet a mother with a seven year old was asked by one of our service providers to stay on the street “for a delta” (one day, two days, five days, forever) while they looked for a place to put them. They should have been directed immediately to a social worker’s office to take down their information and NOT SPEND A SINGLE FURTHER NIGHT ON THE STREET. The same thing with a Senior with a disability (there are tons of them on the street).
Here I do want everybody to understand how appalling it was to watch County officials on Wednesday _celebrating_ a reduction a 1142 person “reduction in homelessness” between 2022 and 2019 when during that _same period of time_ some 947 people DIED “without fixed abode” (homeless) in the County. So 82.9% of that “reduction” was simply THE DEATHS OF THE PATIENTS.
This year, month after month the number of people dying “without fixed abode” continues at a record pace 164 for the year so far. In 2019 only 71 had died at this time. This month alone, 41 people died “without fixed abode” in OC, including THREE in Fullerton and ONE WHO WE BAPTIZED at St. Philip Benizi in 2020.
Further, to give readers here an idea of where we remain in this homelessness crisis, we at our Parish were STUNNED to see A MOTHER WITH A SEVEN YEAR OLD told that she’s going to have to wait ON THE STREET for an UNDETERMINATE AMOUNT OF TIME because THERE WAS NO PLACE TO PUT HER.
So to ANYONE who says “well there’s plenty of space in shelters the PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO GO” please THINK OF THIS MOTHER AND SEVEN YEAR OLD, being told NO WE HAVE NO PLACE FOR YOU NOW. Just wait SOMEWHERE … for days, weeks months, until something opens up.
And, yes, why there was no place for this mother and child was BECAUSE THERE IS A WHOLE LINE OF OTHERS JUST LIKE THEM with no place to be placed.
SO DON’T TALK ABOUT “Homeless people don’t want to follow rules” ANY MORE.
GET MORE PLACES FOR THESE PEOPLE TO GO.