County Homeless Count Higher in 2015

— from San Juan County Human Services —

This year’s San Juan County “Point-In-Time” (PIT) Homeless Count identified 133 people who have no stable place to live, nearly twice as many as found in last year’s count. Count organizers believe much of the increase is due an increase in awareness, and having more volunteers available to assist with the count. However; San Juan County’s Affordable Housing Coordinator, Melanie Rollins, notes that there has been an increase in the homeless population in many areas of the state during the past year and an increase here was expected.

Of the 133 people identified as having no stable place to live, 80 people, including children and disabled persons, were living out of doors, in vehicles, or in abandoned buildings. The remaining 53 were in temporary, unstable living arrangements, often with friends or family. The state mandated count was conducted on Thursday, January 29. The 2014 count found 65 homeless persons in San Juan County, 44 of them were living out of doors, in vehicles, or in abandoned buildings.
Count organizers and volunteers worked with local family resource centers, food banks, churches, healthcare providers, senior centers, libraries, the sheriff’s office, and many other community support service providers to conduct the count. The count was initiated by the State of Washington in 2005 (RCW43. 185C).

Results of previous counts can be viewed at: www.commerce.wa.gov/Programs/ housing/Homeless/Pages/Annual- Point-In-Time-Count.aspx

Please address questions regarding the count to:  Melanie Rollins, San Juan County Affordable Housing Coordinator, melanier@sanjuanco.com, (360) 370-7526.