Houston's Counting Its Homeless, No Matter Where They Are Living

HOUSTON, TX — It's required by the federal government, but Houston takes it a step further.

Every January, U.S. cities count the number of homeless people residing on their streets and in shelters, which serves to assemble a comprehensive report on the problem and helps the government allocate funding for services designed to help homeless individuals.

Houston adds a survey to its count, however, a way to assess the needs of its homeless. On Monday, those living in shelters were tallied, and tonight through Thursday a count of individuals living outside of shelters will take place.

“This will tell us how many people are homeless in Houston, where they are located, who they are and their individual needs,” Houston's mayor, Sylvester Turner, said in a statement. “Houston has made significant progress in reducing its homeless population in recent years. I want to see us go even further. We have to do everything we can to assist those who are willing to take the help. It is a matter of public safety, public health, and it’s just the right thing to do.”

The count and survey is carried out by volunteers, including staffers from the Coalition for the Homeless, The Way Home partner agencies, and the city of Houston.

“In 2016, our enhanced methodology revealed that there were 3,626 homeless individuals in the Houston area on a given night,” said Marilyn Brown, president and CEO of the Coalition, said in the statement. “That is a 21% reduction in just one year, from 2015, and a more than 57% reduction since The Way Home began its collaborative work. We are also excited to gather robust data from Montgomery County to gain a better understanding of homelessness in that area.”

The count is partially funded by the city's Housing and Community Development Department.

— Image courtesy Wikipedia Commons/Patrick Feller