Homeless population rises 8.4% in Marin

Count was the first since COVID outbreak began

Marin County's homeless population grew 8.4% in the first in-person count conducted in the county since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Homelessness in Marin rose from 1,034 people in 2019, to 1,121 people as of Feb. 17, the day the county conducted its federally mandated homeless census.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires all jurisdictions receiving funding to aid the homeless to conduct a count every two years. The count that was supposed to occur in 2021 was delayed until this year due to the pandemic.

Marin outperformed Alameda County, which reported a 22% increase in homelessness, and Contra Costa County, which reported a 35% rise. It didn't do as well as Santa Clara County, which reported a 3% increase, or Sonoma County, which reported a 5% increase. San Francisco saw a decrease of nearly 4%.

“While we're disappointed with the increased numbers despite all of our efforts, we're not surprised,” said Katie Rice, president of the Board of Supervisors. “We're just beginning to recover from a pandemic emergency in which those with the least suffered the most.”

The number of Marin families experiencing

homelessness increased 35% from 54 to 73. Thirteen percent of the homeless people were younger than 18.

“Our most vulnerable residents are dealing with widening income inequality, high inflation and a lack of affordable housing, which are continuing to drive individuals and families into homelessness,” Benita McLarin, county health and human services director, said in a statement.

Carrie Sager, a program coordinator with the county's homelessness division, said the rise in the number of Marin homeless families may also reflect the county's increased efforts to count them.

“Families have always been the most difficult population to count. They're very good at not being seen,” Sager said. “Families with children are understandably concerned that if somebody finds out they're homeless that their kids may be taken away from them.”

Sager said this year, county and Homeward Bound of Marin staff used a list of homeless families that they had been assembling during the year to find out in advance where homeless families would be the day of the count.

Most of the homeless people counted in February — 638 — were men, compared to 438 who were female. Eight people selfidentified as transgender and 12 as gender non-conforming.

Most of the homeless people counted in Marin were White; 260 were Latino; 245 were African American; 45 were American Indian or Alaskan Native; 25 were Asian; and 19 were Native Hawaiian. Fifty-six were classified as multiracial.

HUD does not require that a person be unsheltered to be classified as homeless during the count. Anyone who lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence, such as those living in emergency shelters, transitional housing or places not meant for habitation also qualify.

During Marin's February count, 830 people were unsheltered compared to 291 who were sheltered. Of those 291, 159 were in emergency shelters and 132 were in transitional housing. The number of sheltered homeless people decreased by 11% compared to 2019 while the number of unsheltered people increased by 17%.

Gary Naja-Riese, director of the county's homelessness division, said one reason for the increase in unsheltered homeless people was a reduction in the number of people housed in Marin's congregate shelters to minimize the risk of COVID-19 infection.

Sager said, “All of our congregant shelters were still operating, but they were at reduced capacity to allow for social distancing.”

A positive development in the report was a 34% decrease in the number of homeless veterans from 99 to 65.

Sager said the number of homeless veterans also decreased in 2019. She attributed the ongoing improvement to a sustained effort by the federal government to provide more resources for veterans.

HUD has given the county Veterans Affairs supportive housing vouchers to make more permanent supportive housing available to veterans. HUD has also provided rapid rehousing to veterans through its supportive services for veteran families program.

This year's count was conducted with the assistance of Applied Survey Research, a social research firm. Following the count, the firm followed up with face-to-face surveys to gather more detailed data, such as where homeless people were when they became homeless.

Sager said information on the origin of the homeless counted in February is still being processed and isn't expected to be available until July.

In 2019, 73% of the homeless people who were counted said they were living in Marin when they became homeless, she said.