PORT ANGELES — Clallam County saw an overall decrease in its homeless population — but an increase in those at risk of becoming homeless — based on early returns from its Point-in-Time Homeless Count.
“In general, we saw about an 11 percent decrease in sheltered and unsheltered homeless people in the county,” said Kathy Wahto, executive director of Serenity House of Clallam County, which has overseen a countywide homeless count since 2003.
Counters, who fanned out across the county on Jan. 27, found 39 fewer people living without shelter or in emergency shelters this year than in 2010 — a drop from 352 to 313.
However, it found more people at risk of homelessness — 260 this year compared with 246 in 2010.
High demand for assistance
Wahto said the decrease in those without housing was somewhat surprising given the high demand for homeless assistance.
“But equally, we have had easily accessible prevention of homelessness and rental assistance for three years throughout the county, so we would project some positive impact from that,” Wahto said.
The at-risk category “is a tough area to count, and many counties don’t even attempt to estimate the at-risk population at a point in time,” Wahto said.
“In Clallam, we attempt to count people who are doubled-up, couch-surfing, etc., and who lack the means to acquire permanent housing.
“Thus their housing could be very temporary and there would be a high probability the household might need emergency shelter or other crisis assistance.”
The annual census is a snapshot of the number of unsheltered people living on the streets, in parks and other places. It also tallies the people living in emergency or short-term shelters.
Clallam County takes it a step further than the nationwide Point-in-Time count by documenting those who are at risk of becoming homeless.
Data from the Point-in-Time Homeless Count is used to determine funding and to help agencies identify unsheltered homeless people and link them to resources and housing.
Washington counts are overseen by the state Department of Commerce for the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Wahto said the 2011 count is incomplete, as more information, counts and reports may still come in.
Last year’s count identified and surveyed 598 people in Clallam County.
Of those:
• 74 were living in tents, vehicles, abandoned homes or otherwise unsheltered.
• 278 were in emergency or short-term sheltering programs.
• 246 were at high risk of becoming homeless and temporarily couch-surfing.
This year’s count identified and surveyed 573 people in Clallam County.
Of those:
• 57 were unsheltered.
• 256 were in emergency or short-term sheltering programs.
• 260 counted were at risk of homelessness.
Although the 2011 is incomplete, Wahto said it is probably more accurate than past years because Serenity House gathered participants from the Homeless Management Information System and avoided duplications that may have happened in the past.
Duplications are thought to be down 8 percent from last year.
“As in the past, we are not counting people who were formerly homeless who now have permanent supportive housing,” Wahto said.
“That’s about 70 people who were counted as homeless in the past but are now permanently housed. Since the Maloney Heights project is just now starting to lease up, another 28 people counted as homeless in the 2010 count so far, will soon be permanently housed.”
Serenity House opened the 28-unit Maloney Heights permanent supportive housing complex in Port Angeles in December.
“We do expect to see the at-risk category possibly increasing in the next few days,” Wahto said.
Last year, the total verified count took more than two weeks to complete, she said.
Jefferson County, which conducted its annual homeless count over a week’s period, has announced no results yet.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.