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Homeless Count: Don’t Count On It

The numbers from this year’s official homeless count are in, reflecting only a slight increase in the number of people without a home.  According to the report, there were 6,514 homeless people at the time of the count, up only 2% from the last count in 2007.

I’m certainly not the first to say it but it’s worth mentioning the potential flaws in the logic of the count.  For one, it’s taken on January 27, in the thick of San Francisco’s rainiest, coldest season, on a day when weather is likely to compel many to seek temporary shelter with family or friends, if available.  When those connections are worn thin, of course, people end up back on the streets or in shelters, though by then far from the gaze of homeless counters.  I wonder what the count would be like on, say, a sunny day in August.

Which brings me to the second point: how are we to get an accurate impression of the homeless population from just one day of counting?  And, without actually talking to people–volunteers are instructed to count solely by sight–how are we to be sure the count is accurate?  I would think that an average of several days of counting, coupled with subject interviews, would yield a more accurate number and a more comprehensive understanding of the issues facing the homeless.

It will be interesting to see how the count pans out during the next pass, as the economy forces more out of their homes and into marginal housing or the streets.  Will these people count, or will they remain invisible?

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