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Dr. Janeal White, acting as the coordinator for the Southeast Texas Coalition for the Homeless, disclosed the outcomes of the 2024 Annual PIT (Point-In-Time) count this week. This comprehensive process, spanning nearly the entire year from planning to reporting, unveiled a 61% surge in homelessness across the region encompassing Jefferson, Hardin, and Orange counties.
The groundwork for this endeavor commences in July annually, culminating in the execution of the count in January. Upon completion, the amassed data is relayed to the Texas Homeless Network. Here, a meticulous procedure is employed to eliminate potential duplications through unique identifiers, reportedly ensuring the compilation of the most precise count of individuals grappling with homelessness.
This year's regional total tallied 552 individuals, marking a 61% increase compared to the figures from 2023. Among these, 42 were children under the age of 18, with the majority falling within the 45 to 54 age bracket. Additionally, 33 individuals were identified as veterans, while 130 were classified as chronically homeless. Notably, of the 552 individuals enumerated, 525 were located within Jefferson County, which also accounted for all 42 children experiencing homelessness.
The magnitude of this escalation is unprecedented, according to those participating in the data collection. And, despite the continuous growth of the homeless populace, there’s still a prevailing sentiment that the surge depicted by the numbers might not entirely mirror reality.
“We’re becoming more effective at including people in the count,” White explained, and utilized various novel strategies integrated for the first time in this year's count, emphasizing collaboration with individuals actively engaged with the homeless community. “One of the most effective strategies is that we worked with individuals who are actively working on the streets in different capacities – whether it be in ministry, activism or caseworkers, but individuals who are frontline and have direct relationships with individuals experiencing homelessness.”
Over a span of approximately six months preceding the count, community stakeholders provided insights into effective data collection methods. During the process, White and her team established connections with individuals currently grappling with homelessness. Motivated by a vested interest in facilitating an accurate count, these individuals assumed the role of navigators. These navigators played a pivotal role in identifying effective strategies and locations, hitherto unknown. Specially tailored training was imparted to both navigators and liaisons, who partitioned the region into manageable sections where they typically operated, thus ensuring optimal supply management and care provision during field operations.
Navigators underwent specialized training and education, fostering a sense of empowerment and validation of their voices, White expressed, with gratitude.
“I was so thankful we were able to sit around the table and build relationships with them,” she said of the rapport established to engender trust that enabled the team to delve deeper into the communities, thereby facilitating a more accurate count.
The PIT count figures serve as an overview of the minimum number of individuals experiencing homelessness within the community. White acknowledged the imperfections inherent in the process, asserting, “We know that it’s not a perfect process and we are never going to have completely accurate data, but we know that the more accurate our count the better we are able to advocate for and understand what homelessness looks like in our communities.”
White, who also assumes the role of a professor at Lamar University, highlighted the pivotal role of the Point-InTime homeless count as it related to the regional HUD funding formula. This formula dictates the allocation of annual grant funding within the region, underscoring the criticality of an accurate count in informing resource allocation and policy decisions aimed at addressing homelessness, she said.