County conducts biennial homeless Point-in-Time Count

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With the sun yet to rise and braving 39-degree weather, more than 30 volunteers and San Benito County staff spread throughout the county for the federally mandated biennial Homeless Point-in-Time Count on Jan. 29.

The volunteers were instructed to walk through the various census tracts, count people experiencing homelessness and enter that information into a mobile app. Each group included a person who are homeless or have experienced homelessness. 

San Benito Health and Human Services Deputy Director Enrique Arreola said more than 50 volunteers registered to participate in the count. In addition to the few who dropped out, he said the county notified several others that they wouldn’t be needed. He said it was the largest number of volunteers participating in his 12 years of involvement in the count.

“That really tells you that there’s enough caring individuals that want to contribute, volunteer, and get as much accurate information as we can in our count,” he said. 

Among the volunteers was Hollister native Ricardo Flores, 49, who is currently living in the county homeless shelter and said he participated for the first time because he wanted to help learn how the county reaches out to the community and be more familiar with where people live.

‘It felt good to be part of something much bigger than me,” Flores said. “It feels like I’m helping. And it helps me out, too, seeing different perspectives.”

He said he was surprised that people living in the riverbed declined services that were offered to them. 

“Maybe they are comfortable where they are,” Flores said. “Maybe because they live the way they want to.” 

He added it was a good experience joining a team that had people with different backgrounds. The team consisted of San Benito County Supervisor Angela Curro, San Benito County Geographic Information Systems Manager Rene Achieta, Phylicia Mattos and Fatima Chavarrias with San Benito County Community Services and Workforce Development, and Arreola. The team was escorted by San Benito County Sheriff’s Deputy B. Miguel.

Flores, who is staying at the H.O.M.E. Resource Center, said he is using the resources available to him to find a new place to live. He currently works at West Marine as a machine operator. 

Arreola said he encountered unhoused people who moved south on the riverbed from areas that the county had already cleared. 

“We saw a lot less encampments, but it’s pretty much what we expected,” he said. During the count, he said his estimate of unhoused people in the area surveyed by the team was about 20.

Arreola said the count is important because it’s tied to funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development for homeless services.

He said while some community members see homeless residents as a “nuisance,” it’s important to be sympathetic and show the community cares about them.

“Individuals who are homeless residents are human beings deserving of dignity, deserving of supportive services,” he said. 

The results of the count are expected to be released in five to six months when they are presented to the San Benito County Board of Supervisors.

In addition to the count, Mattos placed notices on encampments between Nash and Union roads, letting those living there know that the county was going to clean the area. She told one person the county would tag and hold for 30 days any belongings they wanted to keep.

The county began clearing the riverbed of debris and homeless encampments in May and is restarting that work after a five-month pause prompted by budget challenges.

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