Stanislaus County 2023 Point-In-Time Homeless Count Released
The Stanislaus Community System of Care (CSOC) has released its 2023 Point-In-Time (PIT) Homeless Count.
The count identified 2,091 homeless persons, an increase of 234 people from last year’s total count.
“Homelessness affects all of us,†stated Emily Webster, Vice-Chair of CSOC. “The PIT Count is an important resource to gauge how many people are experiencing homelessness in our communities. The information helps us develop support services and housing to help this population.â€
The PIT count is an unduplicated count of sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires that communities conduct an annual count of people experiencing homelessness who are sheltered in emergency shelter, transitional housing, and Safe Havens on one night.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2023 PIT COUNT
Who are the Homeless?
- 71% of those surveyed identified as white while 63% identified as Non-Hispanic/Non-Latin (a)(o)(x) and 37% as Hispanic/Latin (a)(o)(x).
- The majority of the homeless counted were males, a total of 1,345. Females made up 731 of the count.
- The largest age group was 35-44 with a total of 501 people.
- 45% of homeless surveyed said they spent time in jail or prison; 43% said they had stayed in a hospital overnight; and 21% reported that they had been in a treatment center.
- 73% responded that they first became homeless in Stanislaus County; 62% said they had been homeless for more than 36 months in our community.
Where are the Homeless?
- The city of Modesto had the largest number of homeless surveyed with 1,642 people. Turlock was second with 233 people.
- 55% of the count (1,142 people) came from the sheltered population - congregate shelters, transitional housing, and hotel/motel voucher programs - while 45% (949 people) came from the count of people living on the streets, in parks, abandoned buildings, or in their cars.
- 40% of the Unsheltered population of 949 people told surveyors they slept on the streets or on sidewalks.
What are the Reasons for Becoming Homeless?
- 27% said they were asked to leave from the place they were staying.
- 26% responded there was abuse and violence in the home.
- 23% said they were unable to pay rent/mortgage.
What are the Obstacles to Accessing Services?
- 15% said they didn’t have identification or documents.
- 13% said lack of transportation.
- 11% said they didn't know where to go for help.
Oher Homeless Populations (Adults Only)
- 23% had a serious mental illness.
- 16% had a substance use disorder.
- 12% were survivors of domestic violence.
Why is the PIT Count Important?
The annual count data is critical to determine the scope of homelessness, define existing resources, and identify any gaps in services in Stanislaus County. HUD requires communities to count the number of people experiencing homelessness every two years in each county across the United States.
The survey data is used to help determine the amount of funding available to communities to develop housing and supportive services for people moving from homelessness to being housed.
Who organized the PIT Count?
The Count is organized by the Stanislaus Community System of Care (CSOC) which includes local governments, non-profits, and homeless providers. To learn more, please visit www.csocstan.com
For more highlights about the 2023 Unsheltered and Sheltered PIT Homeless Count, please click here for the Executive and Data Summaries.
