Coalition For The Homeless Launches Annual 3 County Survey

HOUSTON – Officials from the Coalition for the Homeless are conducting their annual survey of the homeless this week in three Houston area counties.

The 2019 Homeless Count will identify the number of sheltered and unsheltered individuals experiencing homelessness in Houston, Harris County, Fort Bend County, and Montgomery County.

Eva Thibaudeau, Vice President of Programs for the Coalition for the Homeless, said 2018 saw an impact on the homeless population as they dealt with shifting resources, and the continued recovery from Hurricane Harvey.

“Due to the devastation of Hurricane Harvey, 2018 brought our community’s first increase in homelessness since 2011 – particularly among those experiencing unsheltered homelessness. Harvey was a major disruptor to the homeless response system and a distraction from our planned work in 2018. The 2019 count will provide more insights into how we continue to recover,” she said.

The sheltered portion of the count took place on the night of Jan 21, while the unsheltered survey portion of the count will take place Jan. 22, 23, and 24.

On those three days, specialized outreach teams will conduct brief, conversational surveys with individuals on the street to confirm if they slept unsheltered on the night of Jan. 21 and document what their housing needs.

Officials will offer Coordinated Access Housing Assessments on the spot to Veterans, families, and youth/young adults experiencing homelessness as well as those experiencing chronic homelessness.

The annual Homeless Count and Survey is conducted in the same way each year, allowing the Coalition to gain insights on the progress being made toward solving homelessness as well as demographic information, client needs, and any gaps in services.

The Count is also a requirement of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the local Continuum of Care (CoC) funding process.

The Coalition for the Homeless as lead agency applies for this funding each year on behalf of The Way Home, which is then used by partner programs to provide permanent housing, outreach, and supportive services to individuals experiencing homelessness.

In Fiscal Year 2017, the Greater Houston area secured more than $33 million in federal homeless program funding for assistance programs in Harris, Fort Bend, and Montgomery Counties.

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