Community Corner
Homelessness In Solano County: 14-Percent More Homeless Counted In Survey
Breaking: A one-day count showed 1,232 people were homeless.
SOLANO COUNTY, CA -- The results of a homeless census and survey known as the Point-In-Time count, which was taken Jan. 24 by the Community Action Partnership of Solano, Joint Powers Authority, indicated Solano County's homeless population increased 14 percent since 2015.
The 2017 survey, more thorough survey than the one in 2015, targeted encampments and hot-spot counting including a separate youth count, and because of flooding, included previously hidden homeless people who
sought safety in areas where they were easily counted, according to the Community Action Partnership.
The survey is a snapshot of homelessness on a given night and not a comprehensive count of all homeless people in Solano County over the course of a year.
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In addition to the one-day count that showed 1,232 people were homeless, a survey of 439 sheltered and unsheltered homeless people was taken to profile their experience and characteristics, the CAP said in its report.
That data show 74 percent of the homeless were over 25 years old and 70 percent were men. Forty-six percent were white, 33 percent were black and 16 percent were multi-racial. Twenty-five percent of the homeless have children under 18 years old.
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Seventy-four percent of the homeless were unsheltered as were 66 percent of veterans. Eighty-six percent of the homeless were Solano County residents before they became homeless, and fifty-four percent have lived in
Solano County 10 years or more.
Sixty-two percent of the survey respondents said they have a disabling condition defined as physical disability, mental illness, chronic depression or health problems, alcohol or drug abuse, HIV/AIDS,
post-traumatic stress disorder or a developmental disability.
Eighty-four percent of the survey respondents said they were unemployed.
The report notes that despite improved methods of counting the homeless, many of them go to great lengths to remain undetectable.
By Bay City News Service
Photo via MIKI Yoshihito/Flickr, Creative Commons