LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A “point-in-time” count of Lake County’s homeless is planned for Tuesday, Jan. 22.

The count will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at numerous locations around Lake County.

The Lake County Continuum of Care for the prevention of homelessness, or CoC, will carry out the county.

The CoC is a partnership of private and public agencies that strive to improve services for individuals and families who are homeless or are at risk of losing their housing.

The CoC’s goal is to decrease incidences of homelessness and the associated impact on the individual, their family and community.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development requires all homeless continuums to conduct a point-in-time count of homeless individuals/families during a specified week each year.

Site teams and mobile teams, composed of community volunteers and agency representatives, will be canvasing the community, and stationed at the following sites:

– Clearlake: La Voz de Esperanza, 14585 Suite B Olympic Drive.
– Clearlake Oaks: Big Oak Peer Support Center, Big Oak Shopping Center, 13300 East Highway 20, Suite O.
– Kelseyville: Lake Family Resource Center, 5350 Main St.
– Lakeport: The Harbor Youth Resource Center, 150 S. Main St.
– Lucerne: Lucerne Community Church, 5870 State Highway 20.
– Middletown: United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, 15833 Armstrong St.

These sites will be offering flu shots, coats and cold weather items, and a warm place to escape the cold. Each person who is homeless and completes the survey will be given a bag of socks, hygiene supplies, and other items.

The survey will:

– Establish a count of homeless families/individuals on this day in time that will allow Lake County to be eligible for federal funding through HUD and other agencies for housing-related programs and support services.

– Results will provide a base for planning services to meet the needs of those who are homeless in Lake County.

If you know someone who is homeless, direct them to a member of the survey team at one of the survey sites on Jan. 22. All survey information is confidential and personal information will not be shared.