City to conduct annual homeless count

The city of Atlanta Continuum of Care has launched the 2018 annual Point-In-Time Homeless Count this week through Jan. 28. The Atlanta PIT Homeless Count helps to identify vulnerable groups by conducting surveys that collect demographic characteristics, homeless experiences and history, and other vital information.

The homeless count is crucial for meeting federal requirements to continue receiving funds for homeless services, attracting philanthropic investors and tracking the success of local efforts to end homelessness in metro Atlanta. Its efforts will be targeted towards surveying unsheltered homeless individuals, providing demographic information, giving insight to their homeless history and assessing individual needs.

Since 2013, the CoC has seen a 75 percent decrease in the total number of chronically homeless individuals, a 61 percent decrease in unsheltered homeless individuals and in 2017, effectively ended veteran homelessness in Atlanta – becoming one of only two municipalities in Georgia to successfully rise to former President Obama’s challenge to do so.

The annual data gathered in the Atlanta count helps the CoC identify gaps in services to individuals experiencing homelessness, implement strategic responses and seek additional public and private resources in addressing unmet needs in the City of Atlanta.

Information: atlantaga.gov