Last month’s point-in-time census of homeless people counted 1,050 individuals living without homes in Clallam County.
That figure is 29 percent greater than the number of homeless counted in October 2003, but that doesn’t necessarily mean homelessness is on the rise in the county, said Kathy Wahto, executive director of Serenity House of Clallam County.
“It just means it increased because we got to more places where [the homeless] were,” she said.
While organizers think they improved coverage and conducted a more accurate count this year, it remains an “undercount,” said Wahto — not every homeless person in the county was located.
The figures were collected during one week in January, and largely during a one-day effort on Jan. 26 when volunteers canvassed shelters, social service agencies, specific identified sites and the streets.
People who identified themselves as homeless were contacted directly and completed surveys that asked about their circumstances.
Findings outlined
Among the findings:
* About 31 percent of the homeless, or 322 people, were living in the West End.
* 63 percent, or 665 people, were in Port Angeles and the central part of the county, and 6 percent, or 63 people, were in Sequim and the East End.
* 160 people, including 51 in the West End, were living on the streets or in cars.
* Nearly one-fourth of all homeless counted were minor children (237 children, or 23 percent), including 107 children younger than 6.
* The total count reflected 678 households, 157 of which included minor children.
* A little more than one-quarter of all households (303 households, or 29 percent) surveyed had been homeless for one month or less.
* Eleven percent, or 74 households, reported being homeless for more than one year.
