Volunteers Sought for Annual Homeless Count

Two hundred volunteers are needed to help the city of Santa Monica conduct its annual homeless count Jan. 25.

Teams will be deployed to cover every area of the city by foot and by car to conduct a visual count of people who are homeless.

In 2011, volunteers counted 740 homeless people on Santa Monica's streets.  Shelters and other institutions housed 426 individuals, with 51 more residing in cars or encampments.

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The federal government mandates cities that receive federal funding to do a count every two years. Volunteers in Santa Monica hit the streets annually.

City officials say the count helps them understand changes and trends in the local homeless population and raise awareness about the issues surrounding homelessness.

Since the city began counting its homeless in 2009, it’s seen a 19 percent drop.

The 2012 count will take place 10:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. Jan. 25-26 with training and a kickoff event at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium.

Those interested in volunteering can RSVP by visiting smgov.net/homelesscountvolunteer.aspx or by contacting Tommy Jaime at (310) 458-8701 or tommy.jaime@smgov.net.

For event updates and information, check out the Facebook page: facebook.com/SantaMonicaAddressingHomelessness.

To learn more about the city’s efforts to address homelessness, visit: smgov.net/homelessness.