SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — The annual Point-in-Time Count, an annual point-in-time census of the homeless population in Spokane County, began on Friday, February 25. The annual count is used to determine what resources are needed for those experiencing homelessness in Spokane.
Nearly 140 volunteers braved the cold temperatures Friday to help with the count. Daniel Ramos, the business system analyst for the City of Spokane, said the data from the count is used to help the city create solutions to address homelessness.
Ramos said the count will hopefully help fill in gaps by identifying other issues that might not be on the city's radar.
"In the area, we've seen incremental increases," Ramos said. “I believe these numbers to be accurate."
The Point-in-Time count has been held since 2005 as part of an initiative to give federally-funded communities a snapshot of where they live. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, last year's count did not take place. The last overall count took place in 2020 and identified roughly 1500 people experiencing homelessness in the area.
Cynarra Pleasant, the manager of the outreach program at Cannon Shelter, said the data being collected is valuable.
"With the city going out and doing the demographics of the areas, it gives me a better opportunity to go out and extend our outreach to those who really need it," Pleasant said.
Pleasant interviewed a man by the name of William who has been experiencing homelessness for three years and seeks shelter in his car. He told Pleasant that being homeless isn’t a choice for most and sites housing issues as a major contributing factor.
"People don't know the resources to help themselves," William said. “I think they need to have more shelters that are separate."