'Sharp Decline' Reported in Unsheltered Homeless in San Mateo County

Officials with the San Mateo County Human Services Agency reported Tuesday that local homeless numbers are going down.

According to the agency, preliminary results from the county’s homeless census– which was taken on Jan. 22 with the help of some 200 volunteers– indicate a ”...significant decrease in homeless living on the streets and in the homeless population as a whole.”

Final numbers and additional details won’t be available until May, but here’s what the county has learned so far:

• Approximately 689 unsheltered homeless individuals are living on local streets, in vehicles, or in homeless encampments– compared to 1,299 in 2013.
• 915 homeless are living in emergency shelters, transitional housing, motels, and institutions– compared to 982 in 2013.
• 10% of the total households (124) are families with dependent children

“This is great news for San Mateo County, and evidence that our community’s collective efforts are working,” said Human Services Agency Director Iliana Rodriguez.

“Even in a time of record-high housing costs, the innovation of our partners in initiatives such as the homeless outreach teams, and the dedication of our shelters make a real difference,” she continued. “We still have work to do, in getting everyone desiring a home in one, and this data suggests that we are making progress. Addressing or preventing homelessness ultimately creates a stronger, more stable and more thriving community across the board.”

Here’s more from the agency:

A program of the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD), the Homeless One Day Count provides a point-in-time snapshot of the sheltered and unsheltered homeless individuals observed on the same winter’s morning throughout participating regions nationwide. Coordinated by San Mateo County’s Human Services Agency, the knowledge gained by this effort will be applied locally, to inform federally-required local plans, and to help the County’s Center on Homelessness direct resources according to the characteristics of homelessness revealed by the results.

Preliminary count results were presented to the San Mateo County HOPE (Housing Our People Effectively) Interagency Council last week, and will be analyzed along with other information to inform and design County-funded homeless services over the next few years. Additionally, the Human Services Agency commissioned an independent analysis of homelessness in SMC. Data from multiple sources were analyzed and presented to the Board of Supervisors on March 17, looking at the success rates of current services and comparing them to national benchmarks. Next, the Agency, its partners and stakeholders will prepare recommendations for future homelessness services, and present them to the Board.

Additional information on the County’s homeless services is available at http://hsa.smcgov.org/

(Image via Shutterstock)