homeless point in time counts : the ultimate indicator of community wellbeing community indicators...

Homeless Point in Time Counts: The ultimate indicator of community wellbeingCommunity Indicators Consortium 9/31/14: Indicators for best practice

www.appliedsurveyresearch.orgLocations on the Central Coast and the Bay Area | (877) 728-4545

Samantha Green, Applied Survey Research

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About ASRApplied Survey Research (ASR) is a nonprofit social research firm dedicated to helping people build better

communities since 1980. We have a long-standing history in the area of community assessment projects (CAPs),

including:


• ASR is the 2nd oldest organization in the country to consistently

conduct CAPs, completing our first project in 1994.

• ASR won a first place award given by the Brookings Institution

and the Community Indicator Consortium (CIC) for having the best

community assessment project in the country in 2007.

• ASR has completed hundreds of city, county, and regional quality

of life and well-being assessments in our 34 year history.

• ASR has published widely on our quality of life assessments and

has also contributed to several OECD publications on measuring

progress and well-being, as well as having written several articles

for the Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research

(Fall 2013) and also helped to write an international handbook on

how to conduct a community assessment, published by the

Council of Europe.

• The Government Accounting Office (GAO) deemed our methods a

best practice in their publication about how to conduct a

community assessment.

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Our Process


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CAP Domains


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Point-in-Time Counts

• Point-in-Time (PIT) Counts occur every two years.• PIT counts are required by the U.S. Department of

Housing Urban Development in order to obtain and retain federal funding.

• PIT counts are primarily seen as federal report cards or as means for evaluating the homeless response system.

• PIT Counts rely on primary data and therefore can be designed for action.

• Better data, means informed decision making and ultimately healthier communities.


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About ASR –PIT Counts


1999

•Began conducting Point-in-Time counts of people experiencing homelessness Monterey County

2005

•Began conducting separate Point-in-Time counts of homeless children and youth

Los Angeles County

2009

•Expanded youth counts into other counties including small towns and rural areas Santa Clara Co/San Jose, Santa Cruz County, Sonoma County, Mendocino, Clark County/Las Vegas

2011

•Piloted youth specific surveys and continued to expand youth counts Monterey County, Santa Clara Co/San Jose, Riverside, Las Vegas, Sonoma County, Santa Cruz County

2013

•Continued to promote youth counts and expanded efforts with school districts (San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Santa Clara) and a dedicated San Francisco youth count

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Point in Time Count Data


PIT Count

Geographic Location

Sheltered Unsheltered

Household Type

Families with Children

Single Adults and Households w/out

Children

Unaccompanied Minors

Age

Under 18 18-24 25+

Targeted Subpopulations

Chronic Veterans Afflictions

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Data to Action Example

•After seeing high number of unsheltered individuals in the Bayview, a new shelter opened in the neighborhood.

•When the location was questioned, the community had the data to validate their decision.

2011

•After seeing those who identified as LGBTQ were overrepresented in the homeless population, within one month they held a LGBTQ focused Project Homeless Connect helping connect individuals to services.

2013

•After seeing one quarter of the population was under age 25, began developing new shelters targeted for transition age youth.

2014www.appliedsurveyresearch.orgLocations on the Central Coast and the Bay Area | (877) 728-4545

sfo

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PIT Counts as Indicator Projects• PIT Counts are not just about evaluation and service

planning for homeless service providers.


• PIT Counts should be seen as part of your overall community indicator projects and should be a measure of community wellbeing.

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PIT Counts as Community Indicator Projects• Redirects our focus to systems and institutions.

» Changes the conversation from from personal failings to system accountability.

• Creates opportunity for the broader community to engage with the issue.» Stops placing the burden of ending homelessness on homeless service

providers.


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PIT Counts as Community Indicator Projects

Functional Zero

Economy

Unemployment Affordable Housing

Social Environment

Child Welfare

Public Safety

Criminal Justice

Health

Hospitals and Health Homes

Education

Schools Employment Training


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Moving From Data to Action

• In order to produce meaningful change we have to develop community indicator projects for action. » Recruit leadership that is dedicated to social change and that can develop

broader community buy-in » Design the project with actionable indicators» Provide people with the data they need for the outcomes they wish to see» Report data in a way that drives action

• Prioritize what people care about• Use clear and simple language• Provide visualizations and infographics that can be used by community

members and organizations• Make the connections people need to understand the social system and

address structural failings


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Moving from Data to Action

• PIT Count data should spur local action.• Participating in PIT counts will allow you to assess and

act in each of your CAP domains.• PIT counts are unfunded mandates that take community

mobilization and resources.


Thank youSamantha Green, Applied Survey Research


[email protected]

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homeless point in time counts : the ultimate indicator of community wellbeing community indicators...

Documents

bay area

central coast

time pit counts

asr pit counts6www

youth count tay

dedicated youth cou

asrapplied survey research

transitional age youth