Homeless Population Surges Over 1000 Percent in Sonoma Valley, According to Recent Report

According to a report released Tuesday, the number of homeless people in the Sonoma Valley area surged - from 16 in 2009, to 183 in 2011 - an increase of over 1,000 percent, which organizers attribute mostly better research methods and partially to the economic climate.

"There are three big areas where we did a so much better job, it would give anyone pause – one of them was the Sonoma Valley," said Jenny Abramson, the continuum of care coordinator for Sonoma County.

Read the full report on the right

In January, the county covering every single census tract by foot or car in an attempt to get a picture of people without permanent shelter.

The count, done by Applied Survey Research in San Jose, found that nearly 13,000 people in the county have been homeless at one point over the past year, including 33 percent of people who said that job loss was the primary reason that they were homeless.

Though Sonoma County research methods remained roughly the same, this year, the research team used La Luz as a local deployment center, to recruit reliable homeless guides with knowledge of the local population - a change that the team attributes to the large growth.

"There was an increased effort in the Sonoma Valley to reflect what we felt was a trend in homelessness in that area which may have been missed in 2009," said Peter Connery, Vice President of Applied Survey Research.

"We had a staging area and La Luz's staff was very supportive–we just had a lot more local intelligence about where the encampments were," said Mark Krug, Sonoma County's Community Development Manager. "Our methods just got a lot better, as opposed to some phenomenal relocation: a bunch of homeless people moved into the Valley."

Overall, the number of homeless people in Sonoma County grew by 40 percent in the past two years, including a 38 percent increase in homeless in South County.

Officials believe nation-wide job-loss led to the growth in homeless, but Sonoma County experienced a higher growth than similar municipalities, according to Abramson, despite difficulties separating research methods from actual growth.

"We can’t ascertain with any scientific rigor how much was a better count vs. actual increase," said Abramson. "We believe 20 – 30 percent (of the increase) and 70 – 80 percent of the increase would be an actual increase of homelessness.

Overall, 264 unaccompanied homeless children (under 18) and 437 unaccompanied homeless youth (18-24) were enumerated in the 2011 point-in-time count.

"It’s daunting, it’s sobering the number we’re talking about," said Abramson.

Homeless Population 2009

Homeless Population 2011

Sonoma County (All)

3,247

4,539

North Sonoma County

421

284

South Sonoma County

637

1,035

West Sonoma County

658

690

Sonoma Valley

16

183

Central Santa Rosa

1,487

2,320

To help aid in local efforts to aid the homeless, contact - the only shelter in Sonoma, or the , Brown Bag Cafe or , all of which provide meals to those in need.