The County now has a better idea of the number of people experiencing homelessness in Santa Barbara County following the annual Point-in-Time Count.  On January 25, almost 40 volunteers, including Mayor Paula Perotte and Goleta staff, met at Goleta City Hall Council Chambers at 5:00 a.m. for an important cause. The volunteers were part of the County-wide 2023 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count. The PIT Count is an annual count required by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) of sheltered (emergency shelter, transitional housing, or Safe Havens) and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January. Goleta City Hall served as one of the meeting spots for volunteers this year.

Volunteers were placed in different Count teams and assigned their own routes to document who is experiencing homelessness. Each homeless person was offered packs of tissues, socks, snacks, and other essentials. 

The PIT Count is an essential element in the effort to end homelessness. The data gathered shows so much more than how many people are homeless in Santa Barbara County – we also learn more about who is homeless and why. The count was scheduled to take place at 5:00 a.m. because people are more stationary and less likely to be counted twice.

Information from the PIT Count is used to plan local homeless assistance systems, justify funding, raise public awareness, and track trends that can help the County determine how to best serve the homeless population. 

Thank you to the dedicated individuals that volunteered to help complete the PIT Count for 2023!

Pictured above: Former Santa Barbara County Public Health Director Van Do-Reynoso (center) with community volunteers

Pictured below from left to right: City of Goleta Neighborhood Services Director Jaime Valdez, Associate Director of Programs for the Santa Barbara Alliance for Community Transformation (SBACT) Katherine Soto-Vasquez, and City of Goleta Homelessness Services Coordinator Chuck Flacks