Equity & Empowerment
Number of homeless individuals in the City identified by the Homeless Coalition’s "point-in-time" count
Other Data
498
people
Result for FY-2017
Other Data
Equity & Empowerment
Number of homeless individuals in the City identified by the Homeless Coalition’s "point-in-time" count
Other Data
498
people
Result for FY-2017
Measure Description
The Point-in-Time (PIT) count serves as a snapshot of sheltered and unsheltered homeless persons on a single night in late January. The count is conducted by outreach volunteers with the Palm Beach County Department of Human Services on a biennial basis. Starting in 2017, the PIT Count in Palm Beach County will be done annually. Methodology on how the count is conducted is prescribed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development with supplements from the local Homeless Continuum of Care.Measure Importance
When a PIT count shows an upward trend over more than two periods, it enables local administrators and homeless providers to justify additional resources and changes in HUD funding strategies to help reduce the number of homeless. A decreasing trend could provide justification that local strategies are working and should be continued.Measure Chart
Explanation of Performance
The last PIT Count was held in January of 2018 and showed a slight decrease in the number of homeless within West Palm Beach and in Palm Beach County compared to the 2017 PIT count. In 2017, 498 homeless were counted in West Palm Beach, compared to 462 in 2018. The City has implemented several strategies over the past 18 months to help combat homelessness including resources for a homeless prevention rental assistance program, funding for a Peer Outreach Team through The Lord's Place and Jerome Golden Behavioral Health Center, funding for new affordable housing units and increased collaboration with external partners such as the County and Homeless Continuum of Care providers. The Department of Housing and Community Development is working on several new initiatives to further combat homelessness through its participation in the Frequent Utilizer Service Engagement (FUSE) model initiative, proposed increases in bed capacity for the Lewis Homeless Resource Center and other initiatives that will be announced through the Homelessness Task Force that will provide recommendations to the City Commission in June 2018.
Status Indicator Definitions
On Target: Meets or exceeds expected performance
Watch: Falls close to expected performance
Below Target: Does not meet expectation; being monitored for improvement
Other Data: Data gathering only, no target