(KERO) — The Bakersfield-Kern Regional Homeless Collaborative released the 2021 Point-in-Time Count Wednesday, identifying 2,150 people experiencing homelessness in Kern County.
This number increasing by over 500 people compared to 2020's survey count of 1,580.
According to the report, countywide, 569 people were counted as experiencing homelessness with shelter. 1,581 persons were unsheltered, sleeping in parks, empty buildings, cars and other places not meant for human habitation.
Out of the 343 children counted in the report, 242, were considered unsheltered.
The report said of the 1,872 adults counted, 487 were reported to have a serious mental illness and of those, two-thirds were unsheltered.
150 adults counted were considered domestic violence survivors, the report said.
The BKRHC said that due to COVID-19, the 2021 PIT Count was conducted with an alternative methodology, combining in-person data from emergency shelters and navigation centers with data gathered and extrapolated from the Homeless Management Information System.
An in-person survey with volunteers was conducted on January 27.
According to the BKRHC, a reduction in shelter beds and an extraordinarily low inventory of available housing has made housing placements and supportive services challenging for homeless services providers.
You can read the entire 2021 PIT report here.
