Committed to Ending Veteran Homelessness in Orange County – For Good
As of January 24th, 2019 there are 311 veterans experiencing homelessness throughout the 800 square miles of Orange County. This information was collected during the 2019 Point In Time (PIT) Count, a massive effort in which the County of Orange, CityNet, 211 OC, other service providers, law enforcement officials, and more than 1,000 volunteers came together to canvass the county.
The 2019 PIT Count provided several valuable insights into the local homeless population, including a clear look at the different subsets existing within the larger population. Homeless veterans are one of these subpopulations. For the purposes of the PIT Count, a veteran needed to have served in either the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard or been called into active duty as a member of the National Guard or as a Reservist.
Using this criteria, the count identified 311 veterans who were experiencing homelessness in Orange County. That equates to 4.5% of the total homeless population in Orange County.
The 2019 PIT Count also revealed that most of these homeless veterans are unsheltered. These individuals are on the streets of our community or living in their car without their basic needs being met. Out of 311 homeless veterans identified, 212 were living without shelter. This is a staggering 68% of the homeless veteran population.
Veterans were counted as sheltered if they were located in either emergency shelters or transitional housing programs. 31.8% of homeless veterans or 99 individuals were documented as sheltered.
Accurate information is the first step to providing homeless veterans and their families with the appropriate support services and housing solutions. The 2019 PIT Count was the most accurate count yet, taking advantage of modern software to get precise data that can be used to help advocate for solutions for the most vulnerable subpopulations of those without a home currently living in our community.
United to End Homelessness is committed to being a part of the solution for getting every veteran in Orange County into long-term, supportive housing solutions. No former servicemen or woman deserves to be living on the streets. To learn more about how you can join United to End Homelessness and be a part of the solution, click here.
