BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The Bakersfield-Kern Regional Homeless Collaborative has released the results of its 2023 Point-In-Time Count. The PIT Count happens every year, and is an attempt to keep track of how many people in the county are experiencing homelessness. This year, the PIT Count took place on January 25.
In 2023, BKRHC counted 1,948 people who were homeless in Kern County, most of them in Bakersfield. Within the homeless population, 52 percent were out rough, not living in any shelter. 48 percent were sheltered. According to the collaborative, the number of sheltered homeless has gone up from last year as the city has made a concerted effort to expand shelter and transitional housing space.
Overall, however, the number of unhoused people living in Kern County has increased by 22 percent from last year, but the collaborative believes the increased number of people counted is a function of the increased number of volunteers who turned up to count, as well as the implementation of an improved strategy for counting in rural areas.
According to the collaborative, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development uses data gathered during the PIT Count, including data from shelters and navigation centers as well as volunteer hand-counts, to determine funding for counties, cities, and local organizations dedicated to helping the homeless. An accurate count makes it more likely that a place will receive adequate federal and state funding for homelessness services.
