HomeMy WebLinkAboutR12-Redevelopment Agency
c
c
,
\."..
-
o VEL 0 PM E B T DE PAR. J B l'( T
OF TIlE CIn OF SAB BERlWIDIiiO
REOUEST FOR COIMISSIOB/COUllCIL ACTIOl'(
From:
KENNETH J. HENDERSON
Executive Director
1992 HOMELESS
CENSUS REPORT
Subject:
Date:
June 30, 1992
SvnoDsis of Previous Commission/Council/Committee Action(s):
On June 23, 1992 the Housing Committee received and filed the attached
1992 Homeless Census Report and recommended that it be forwarded to
the Community Development Commission as a receive and file item.
Recommended Motion(s):
(Cn_itv Deve100ment Colmission)
MOTIOl'(
That the Community Development Commission receive and file
the attached 1992 Homeless Census Report.
--&-
Administrator
~~RSOl'(
Executive Director
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact Person(s): Kenneth Henderson/Beckv Thurston
Phone: 5081
Project Area(s): Citv-wide
Ward(s): All
Supporting Data Attached:
Staff ReDort
FUNDING REQUIREMENTS:
Amount: $ N/ A
Source:
N/A
Budget Authority:
N/A
Commission/Council Notes:
KJH:DAD:BJT:paw:0387q
COIMISSIOl'( MEETING AGENDA
MeetiDg Date: July 7, 1992
Agenda Item 1IuIIber:
/z
.....
'-
,
~.
-
,
"-
D A VEL 0 PM Ell T DE PAR Tll,E II T
"" OF TIlE CIn OF SAl'I BEDARDIJ....,I
STAFF REPORT
1992 Homeless Census ReDort
On June 23, 1992 the Housing Committee recieved and filed the attached
1992 Homeless Census Report and recommended that it be forwarded to the
Community Development Commission as a receive and file item.
Ba,.1rDromui
The 1992 Homeless Census was conducted on February 13, 1992 from 9:00
a.m to 9:00 p.m. The goal was to provide information concerning the
relative size and characteristic of the homeless population located
within the City of San Bernardino.
To administer a survey to as many homeless as possible within a l2-hour
period required a large mobilization of organizations and volunteers.
The primary vehicle for coordinating the administration of the census
was the local coordinating group of the San Bernardino County Homeless
Coalition. Approximately 65 volunteers, spread geographically
throughout the City, were able to survey 1,062 homeless individuals on
February 13, 1992.
City staff and community volunteers were able to survey the homeless
located the following generalized locations and settings: shelters,
soup kitchens, mobile food vans, drop-in centers, health clinics, food
and clothing pantries, streets, parks, abandoned buildings, vacant
lots, parked cars, freeway underpasses, and other non-conventional
locations where the homeless congregate.
Critical to surveying those homeless families located in subsidized
temporary hotels/motels/apartments was the cooperation of the County
Department of Public Social Services (DPSS).
Although hampered by some limitations, the data collected from this
census provides policy makers, media, and the public the most thorough
and comprehensive information concerning the homeless in San Bernardino.
Reco-"""ation
Staff recommends the adoption of the form motion.
U4~~"
1UIIIftI5"LJl J. HENDERSOII, Executive Director
Development Department
KJH:DAD:BJT:paw:0387q
COBlISSIOII MEETING AGENDA
MeetiDg Date: July 7, 1992
Agenda !tea lIuIIber:
/2-
-- -'----
,"-,'ITY OF SA. BER..lKVINO
1992 HOMELESS CDSUS REPORT
C IImlODUCTION
The public debate surrounding the national estimates of the numbers of
homeless persons has been ongoing since the beginning of the 1980's when the
Community for Creative Non-Violence (CCNY) presented to Congress some sketchy
data they had assembled about the numbers of homeless from 14 cities
throughout the nation. Since this first attempt at quantifying the homeless,
the debate about numbers of homeless has been continual and fierce at the
national, state, and local levels.
In an attempt to ease some of the debate and mediate the widely varying
numbers of homeless which were being used, in 1990 the U.S. Census Bureau, for
the first time, incorporated into its census a count of the homeless
population. However, when the data and methodology was released, the 1990
U.S. Census figures became as controversial and disputed (or even more so) as
the preceding homeless estimates.
-
l.-.,.
The reason that the previous attempts to quantify the homeless population have
varied so widely is due primarily to different conceptions and discrepancies
about the definition of who is homeless and the method used to count the
homeless. Many estimates have proceeded without careful documentation of the
underlying definitions and methodologies so that the results were
misunderstood or misrepresented by the users of the information. Professor
David Cordray, director of the Center for the Study of At-Risk PopUlations,
cautioned that, "as with any attempt to count or estimate the magnitude of a
phenomenon, an understanding of estimates of the size of the homeless
population requires information about how the estimates were produced, who is
and is not represented, and why the estimates were undertaken in the first
place."l
Adhering to this sound advice this overview of the 1992 Homeless Census
attempts to provide the user of the census data an understanding of the
definition and methodology employed for the census, and the potential
limitations on the use and conclusions which can be drawn from the census
data.
THE PDRPOSB - WRY comrr THE HOMELESS?
"Good numbers are important for good pOlicy,"2 stated Anna Kondratas,
assistant secretary for community planning and development for the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban DeVelopment. This
lCordray, David S. and Georgine M. Pion, "What's Behind the Numbers?
Defini tional Issues in Counting the Homeless," Housina Public Debate, Vol. 2,
Issue 3, 1991, pg. 587.
2Kondratas, Anna, "Estimates and Public Policy: The Politics of
Numbers," HousinJl Policv Debate, Vol. 2, Issue 3, 1991, pg. 643.
,.
......
Page 1
/2-
1-
c
e
...
,
;"".
,,-
'-
-
.....)
.tatement i. at the ba.i. of all motivations of ~ w. .hould b. concerned
with countina the hom.l.... When wid.l~ div.rlina numb.r. are quoted again
and alain .bout the hom.le.., perceptions and und.r.tandina of the problem
can b.com. di.tort.d amona the polic~ maker., m.dia, and len.ral public.
The re.ult can b. the implementation of poor .tratelie. and prolrams,
feelina. of frustration and wa.ted eneray, and lower level. of .upport for
effort. to a..i.t the homeles..
Thu., a properly de.ianed and admini.tered count of the home1e.. population
can play a very important rol.. A. av.ilabl. fund. to a..i.t the homele.s
are mo.t often .pent .t the local level and volunte.riam from citizens i.
b..t len.rat.d at the local l.v.l, a w.1l-lrounded under.tandina of the
local homele.. population i. critical.
It must be r.aliz.d that it i. not .0 much the total numb.r of homeless
which i. e..entia1 (a1thoUlh it i. intere.tina to ..timat. the size of the
popUlation), as it is more important to lather data concernina the
.eamentation (..1., the various .ub-Iroup.) of the hom.1e.. population. To
accomp1i.h this critical .e..entation r.quire. more than ob.ervina and
countina the hom.l.... it dictat.. that the .low and laborious proce.. of
.urveYina ths hom.le.. population be und.rtaken. Prolrama are better
desian.d and more eff.ctive when ba.ed upon d.tailed information about the
homel... population -- who the homelee. are, and the charact.ri.tics of that
population.
Th. 1992 Bome1e.. CensUII wa. embarked upon to provide information concernina
the r.lative .ize and charact.ri.tic. of the homele.. population located
within San B.rnardino County. Althoup hamp.red by .om. limitations (a.
will b. ezplafned), the data collected from thi. censUII, will provide the
policy maker., media, and public the moat thoroUlh and comprehensive
information conc.rnina the home1... in San Bernardino
DBFIBITIO. - WIIO DB TIll IIOIIILBSS
The conceptual definition which was used for the 1992 Bomele.. Census wa.
taken from the d.finition provided in the Orlanization Plan for the San
Bernardino County Bomele.. Coelition, "A hom.le.. per.on i. defined a.
anyone without e relu1ar domicil. . . . owned, lea.ed, rented, or .hared."
Clearly, thi. definition, while encompa..ina, i. insdequat. for providina a
framework for as.i.tina the homele.. a. it i. open to a wid. variety of
interpretations.
From this conceptual d.finition wa. d.rived an operational definition which
could b. u.ed by the orlanizations and volunteer. who admini.tered the
CensUII. Th. operational definition used for 1992 Bomele.. CensUII wa. aa
follow.:
A per.on i. home Ie.. if that per.on:
- does not have their own home, apartment, or room in which to .pend
the mpt, or
- i. .tayina in an em.rlency .he1ter, transitional .helter, dome.tic
vio1enc. .helter, or
Pale 2
/2-
I __. ~._"__
c
e
-
\
"
,-
'-'
.~~
....,;
18 8t.yina ill an drua/alcoho1 reh.bilit.tioll cmter, end doe. Ilot
OWll their 0VIl holle, leaae an .partllmt or roOll to which they can
retul'll to upon rele..e frOll the cmter, or
i. .tayina in an indoor or outdoor 10c.tion which v.. Ilot illtended
for habit.tion
i. tempor.ri1y .t.yina ill . aote1 or vith friend./re1.tive.
METBODOLOGl' -- TIll SYSDII IIDI1ID TIll IIlIIIBBU
The re..oll behind UDdertakina . county vide cenau. of the hOIle1esa v.. to
..cert.ill the IlUllber of hOlle1e.. that vere 10c.ted vi thin the county .t .
.pecific poillt ill tille. The concept of . point ill tille .urvey i. to provide
an .pprozimate nUllber of hOlle1e.. which can be referred to .. ezi.ting
vithill the county .t ~ aiven tille. Ide.lly, th18 IlUllber vou1d be derived
frOll an .veraaa of cenau.e. taken ovar . period of tille. Unfortunately,
both 1I0net.ry end phy.ic.1 re.ource. prohibit .uch an eztenaive cenau.. The
1992 BOlIde.. Cenaua v.. conducted on Febru.ry 13, 1992, . aing1e day ill the
middle of the IIOllth, froll 9:00 .... until 9:00 p...
The 1992 BOllele.. Cenau. v.. not done ezc1u.ive1y to "count" the IlUllber. of
hOlle1e.. per.olla -- .1thouah this v.. . 1I0tiv.tina f.ctor __ the cenau. v..
equ.lly concemed vith .urveyina the hOllele... A .urvey, aa oppo.ed to .
.trict "count," can provide .000a of the much needed d.t. .bout the hOllele..
popu1.tioll, which 1e.d. to . better UDdar.tendina of the Ileed. of the
hOlle1e.. end the type. of proarama which vou1d be 1I0.t effective.
The cenau. u.ed . .urvey fOri! which .ttellpted to di.cel'll the lIO.t critic.1
information .bout the halide.. popu1.tion, while 1i11iting the 1enath of the
.urvey to one p.ae for purpo.e. of upediency (.ee Att.c:hlllent A). The
que.tiolla t.raated information which vou1d be u.efu1 to P01icJll&ker. .bout
the Ileed. of the hOlla1e.. popu1.tion in San Bernardino County.
To .dmilli.ter . .urvey to .. IIaQY hOlle1e.. .. po..ib1a vithill . 12-hour
period required. 1.rae lIobi1iz.tion of oraaniz.tiolla end volunteer.. The
primary vehic1. for coordillatina the .dmin18tr.tion of the cenaua vaa the
10c.1 coordillatina aroup of the San Bernardino County BOlle1e.. Co.1ition.
Sizty-five (65) volunteer. .pre.d aeoar.phic.1ly throuahout the City, vere
able .urvey 1,062 home1e.. individual. on Febru.ry 13, 1992.
The re.u1t of the york of the local coordillatina aroup enabled the 1992
Bomele.. Cenau. to .urvey the hOllele.. 10c.ted ill fo110vina gmera1ized
locatiolla end .ettina.:
1) Shelter-type illatitutiolla: BOIIe1e.. .he1ter., dOlle.tic vio1mce
.he1ter., .ub.idized tellpor.ry hote1./lIote1./ap.rtllent., drua end
.lcoho1 center..
P.ae 3
/2-
c
""
i.-..
...
\..
c
---.
....,1
2) Nonresidential inatitutiona: Soup kitchena, 1II0bile food VIlll8, drop-in
center., health e1inie., food and e10thina pantrie., and other aerviee
aettinaa and faei1itie. Where hollle1ea. miaht .eelt aa.iatanee.
3) 1I'0n-inatitutiona1 10eation: Streete, peru, abandoned bUildinaa,
vaeant lot., parked ear., freeway underpa..ea, and other
non-eonventiona1 10eationa Wher. the hOllle1ea. eonareaate.
It .hou1d a1.0 be noted that eritiea1 to the methodo10ey of aurveyina those
hOllle1ea. fami1iea 10eated in .ub.idized temporar,r hote1a/mote1./apartmenta
wa. the eooperation of the County Department of Pub1ie Soeia1 Serviee.
(DPSS). The department adaini.ter. the Aid to Fami1ie. with Dependent
Children -- HOIIIe1e.. ...i.tance Proaram (AFDC-BA). Thi. proaram provide.
temporar,r houaina a..i.tane. to qualified fami1ie. for a period of up to
sixteen day.. To enaure that theee familia. were ine1uded in the .urvey,
every family Who applied for and reeeived AFDC-BA .!xteen day. prior to
Februar,r 13, 1992, waa required to fill out a .urvey fora. On Februar,r 13,
DPSS eliminated the .urvey f01'lllll of tho.. familia. who were no longer
receivina temporary a..i.tanee and had 1II0ved into permanent re.idenee. and
retained the f01'lllll of tho.. Who were .till in the AFDC-BA program.
PROBLDIS .&lID ISStIBS Dr liUJliVJliU,JIIj BOIIELBSS
Ther. are .011I. problema and ie.ue. that are illherent in attemptina to .urvey
"hidden" popu1atione .uch a. the hOlllele.. (hidden popu1ationa are thoae
aroup. Whoae member. are either diffieu1t to obaerve or, onee obaerved, are
diffieu1t to identift aa be10naina to that aroup). Theae faetora are not
enumerated to diminish tha reliability of the 1992 Home1eaa Cenaua (nor do
they), but are provided .0 that the pub1ie III&Y better understand what
eonc1uaiona ean and eannot be drawn frOlll the eenaua inf01'llllltion.
Firat, there ie broacl .et of faetor. Which lllUat be eoneidered in .urveyina
aQy hidden population ine1udina the hOllle1e../ The.e faetor. ere a. fo110wa:
1. Membera of hidden popu1ationa tend not to want to talk about their
situation and IIaQy inatead .eelt to hide it. The ...kina of one'.
.ituatiOll ean take IIaQy f01'lllll. In the ea.e of the hOlllele.., IDUI)'
per.ona will often ao to areat 1enatha in attempt to avoid the
.tereotypiea1 vi.ua1 eharaeteriatie. Which aoeiety aa.oeiate. with the
hOlllele..: Torn e10the., une1eanline.., shoppina earte, vaaraney,
pllDhandlina, ete. More importantly, lIIaQy avoid pUblie places and
appearanee. .0 a. to reduee the ehance of beina identified a. hOllle1ea..
2. The attitude. or .e1f-pereeptione of lIIember. of hidden popu1ationa can
make identifieatiOll difficult. Many pereone, Who by definition would
be e1a..ified aa home1e.., do not eonaider them.e1ve. hOllleless. For
example, IIaQy of those atayina in .heltera, motel., or with friends or
relative., often do not
Pace 4
/2
--
'-
,-.
.-..;
c
perceive themaelve. .. homele.. because they are .tayina in a permanent
dwel1ina, when in fact they are homele... for the rea.ons .tated above,
or for rea.ons of dianit7 aDd vantina to avoid the .ti... of beina
labeled ~ele..."
3.
AD7 count or censu. of a hidden population reflect. onl7 tho.e who have
been ob.erYed aDd identified. But a hidden population b7 definition.
a1.0 contains ...ber. who remain uncounted aDd unknown. A. Ileanor
Chelfuk7 of the U.S. General Accountina Office atate.. " . . . a tall7
of the ob.erved homele.. i. alvay. an unknown fraction of the total
count of ho.ele.. people . . . "
The factor. whith are unique aDd .pecific to the admini.tration of the 1992
Romele.. Cenau. in San BernardillO Count7 on F.brual7 13th are a. follov.:
1. San Bernardino combine. a UIlique .ixture of urban. .uburban. aDd rural
.ettina.. There i. IlO one fOl'lllUla or methodoloU' whith can be u.ed to
identifJ' aDd .urYey the ho.ale.. in th... v.ried .ettina.. The
location of tha homele.. aDd their .ctivitie. differ vith the denait7
of popul.tion; therefore the .ethod b7 whith 70U .urvey the ho.eles.
must corre.pondina17 .d.pt. A wide v.riet7 of .ctivitie. vere empl07ed
in an .ttempt to .urve7 the homele.. in the count7.
t
2. The veek precedina the 1992 Ro.ele.. Cenaus. Februal7 6 to 13. v..
unique in that Southern C.liforni. v.. in the .idat of on. of the .ost
.ever. .torms in the p..t ..ver.l 7e.r.. F100dina v.. rampant
throuahout the cOUllt7 aDd the anov .ccumu1.tion virtu.117 cutoff the
.ountain .r.... Contr.l7 to what miaht b. concluded _ that .dverse
ve.th.r would cau.. more homel... to ..ek .h.1t.r th.r.b7 incre..ina
the numb.r. whith vera .urveyed - the .evere .torms had quite the
oppo.it. .ffect.
Fir.t. aaQ7 of the .re.. in whith hoaele.. vera known to conar.l.te
(river bottoma. .baDdoned bUildina., p.rka, fr.ev.7 UDderp...... .tc.)
vere flooded aDd ther.fore the homele.. had reloc.ted to .r... whith
vere not known b7 the .dministrator. of the cenaus. Al.o the b.d
ve.ther on the d.7 of the cenaus reduced the number of ho.ele.. whith
vould b. loc.t.d in open aDd vi.ib1e public .pace.. Second17. the
harsh veather aDd floodina inhibited the vork of the census
.dmini.tr.tor.. .lovina down th.ir .bilit7 to work quicJt17 aDd cov.r
the needed .re.~, aDd in .0.. instanc... cuttina off .cc... to remote
.re.. wh.r. h~,ele.. v.r. known to b. locat.d.
4. Althouah the definition of the homel... used in the census includ.d
"doubled aDd tripled up" familie.. the m.thodoloU' emplQ7ed for the
1992 Ro..1... Census did IlOt cont.in .Ppropri.t. vehicl.. for
.d.quatel7 .urveyina this ..ctor of the hO..l... Popu1.tion, a. the San
B.rnardino Count7 Rom.l... Coalition did not have the n.c....l7
r..ource..
Chelimalq. 11eanor. "Politic., poliC7 Maltina. D.t.. aDd the Ro.e1....
"Hou.i~ Poliev Deb.t.. Vol. 2. I..ue 3. 1991. PI. 687
-
.-
Pale 5
/2
.c.'-
l.
j.... ,
,-,>.'
.....
"
-
'-'
'""'"'
-...I
USULrS
Total Homel... COUftt. le.ult. of the 1992 Boaele.. Cenaue indicate that
there vere at leut 1062 halide.. iDdhiduel. ill the Cit:r of Sua BenaardillO
OIl the Iliaht of rebnaar,r 13, 1992. Thi. filure treual.te. luto 5.6 homele..
per.oua per 1000 of the leuer.l populatiOll. lecaut hoaelaa. filuraa
rel...ed 11)' the Southel'll Califonaia ".odatioll of c;oY&n111aut. (SCA;)
iDdicate that the the Cit:r haa the .ecoad hiahe.t ratio of h~l... to
Imerd populatiOll ill Southel'll Ca1ifonaie. Table I below compare. the City
of Sua BenaardillO with other South.1'Il Ca1ifol'llia dtie..
DBI.a I
'-1.tt
Gen.. rat PaD..
Rom.l... PaD.
Ramet... ~a Q8Dllrat Ra~fa
Suata Mollica
Sua BenaardillO
Coata Me..
Lo. Aqdn
'..adena
16,900
171,600
97,400
3,526,100
132,400
616
1,062
251
7,706
234
7.9 per 1000
6.1 per 1000
2.5 per 1000
2.2 per 1000
1.7 per 1000
It .hould be IlOUd that ~ dtin do uot ba.. hOllele.. cOUllt. which ere a.
r.1iabla .. the City of Sua ..naardillo Boaela.. C_ fi,ure.. Iztr..e
UIldercoUllt. would aipificuatl:r iapact the abo.. ratio. of ~le.. to
leuaral population.
s~ Differenc... Out of 1,021 boael... who re.poaded to thi. que.tiOll, 61~
(695) vera ..1. end 32~ (326) vere f..l. (.e. Fiaure 1 below). Local
re.ult. airror national fi,ure. which iDdicate that the -.jorit:r of hoaele..
.re ..1. (66~). Whil. .iIlale atlll. ere often foUlld OIl the atreat at Iliaht,
hOlle1e.. voaen tend to be fOUDd in velfare hotel. end &h.lter..
nc:uu 1
HamelelS Males and Females
CIty of 8M Bernardino
To'" Count · 1082
---
'eae 6
/2-
--
\..,
c'
,.
i....
,.........,
-
\,...- '-'
Ethnieitv. Of the Il1llle-hundred, Mn.t7-.tz (996) hoIDel... who re.p0n4ed to
thi. qu.ation, 4111 (404) vu. whit., 3211 (314) vere Bbpanlc, 2511 (252) vere
Bl.ck, .lll (2) vera .ulan, and 211 (24) identified th_elve. .. Other.
Compared vith the ,auel population of the Cit)" of San BemarcliDO, B1aeke
ar. ov.rr.pr..ated In the hoIDe1... population. Fl,ur. 2 compar.. ethnic
p.rcat.... in the hoaele.. population vith 1990 cenaua .thnic percata,e.
of the ,aeral population.
nClllJll 2
Ethnicity
City of San Bernardino
Will.
WIll.
01...,
or...,
.'lIOk
HI_IlIO
General Population
Homeless Population
__ H....... c__
Pa,e 7
/2-
-
I
'-
t
...
\".
.- --,
'-' .......,
Aae of ~he Romele... Of the hoaele.. iD41vi4ual. who proY14e4 1nforma~lon
about eae, lOX (104) vere uDder the aae of 5, 19X (198) vere betveen the
aaea of 5 aDd 19, 34X (350) vere betveen the aaea of 20 aDd 34, 29X (310)
vera betveen the aaea of 35 aDd 54, aDd 8X (78) vere 55 aDd aboye (aee
Fiaure 3 below). The .eu aae of City of Su Bernar4ino hoaIele.. population
vaa 32. Asea renae froa two veeke to 76 yeara 014.
nc:uu: 3
Age of the Homeless
II of Hom.....
.00
110
...
100
..
210
...
200
...
110
100
10
o
0-.
...
...
Age
.....
... HUI..... ceuua
Pace 8
/2-
-
l...
C'.
--
"
.-
.-.
~
VUer.".. Of the 547 adult. that rup0a4e4 to thl. queatlO1l, 23S reported
that thq vere veterUla. Whtlll. .electilll 0Ilb tha re.pouu of eclult ..le.,
33S reported that the)' vere veterUla. rhie ficure alrror. DatlO1Ull
eatilllate..
....J
Familv Siu. Whtlll. ..ked to report the .be of their flll11y croup, 541
reported to b. .1D&1. lDcllvlduala, 55 1Dcllvlduala reported 2 per.OIUl in
their fllll1y croup (couple or adult with Child), 26 1Dcllvidual. reported 3-4
per.one in their family croup, 34 per.ona reported 5-6 per.one in their
fllll1y croup, aDd 16 lDcllvidual. reported 7-10 per.one in their family croup.
Fieure 4 below .hove the perctlll.tace of the total popul.tlO1l of homele.. In
eaCh family .ize catecory.
nc:uu 4
FAMILY SIZE
City of San Bernardino
1 person
7-10 persons
3-4 persons
~-e persons
WI HOlM.... c..._
Pace 9
/2
c
t
....
'"
~
Adult. ."" ChUdr_. Of tha 1044 indiTiduala who indicated aca on the aurvey,
73S (776) wera adulta while 27S (268) wera children (aee fiaure 5 below).
Campared to national fi,urea, the Ci~ of San Bernardino hea a relatiTe lar.a
population of hamaleaa under the a.e of 19.
nGlJD 5
Homeless Adults and Children
City of San Bemardlno
Total Count . 1082
Adult
7391
............. . .............
..........................................................
!\11If;
............. ......- .........
...........................................................
............ ................
..............,..... ...........................-.
......... '............
....... ...........
....... ...........
.... ..........
... .......
---
Hamel... Childran and Sehool. Of the boaele.. f..ilie. who provided
inforaation about their childrena .Chool attendance, 28S (76) of the boaele..
children attend .chool, 33S (92) do not .ttend .chool, end 40S (112) ara not
of .chool a.a. Fi.ura 6 indicate. that out of 170 .chool a.e children, 92 do
not attend .chool while 76 do .ttend .Chool.
nGlJD 6
School Attendenee
and Homeleae Children
HomeI... School Age QIIlchn . 170
---
Pac. 10
/2
I ..~__ ___
."'....
..--
.~...,
.-
l.
Where the Home1e.. Sl..D. Out of 974 boaele.. who ra.p0a4ed to thi. qua.tion.
34S (330) .lapt in .halt.r.. 21S (261) .lapt in car.. 21S (206) found ehaltar
with frienda or ralati.e.. 7S (61) .lept in abandoned build1D&. or doorway..
7S (61) .lapt outdoor.. and 3S (34) .lept in aotal. (.ea Fiaura 7 below).
nc:uu 7
Where the Homeless Slept
on the Night of 2/12/82
'__hit
I.
AIMlil...4 ....I'll
711
Cor
-
---
c
L~th of rim. Hom.1.... Of tha hoaela.. who re.p0a4ed to thi. que.tion. 471
had be. hoad... le.. than 6 _the. 230 had been boaale.. beewe. 6 aonthe
and 1 ye.r. 224 had be. hOllde.. froa 1 to 5 yaar.. 40 had bellll hOllde.. froa
5 year. to 10 year.. 14 had be. boaele.. froa 10 year. to 20 year.. and 4 had
ballll hoaala.. lIOn than 20 year. (aea Fi.ura 1 below). rile aea lenath of
tille a adult had be. hOllde.. wu 17 _the. LlD&th of tille hOll.1e.me..
rlD&ad froa 1 day to 24 year..
nc:uu I
Lenclth of Time Hornele..
.... "rnardhl/Adu1t8 On!)'
...lfl 1"..
eGO
..
.eo
eGO
-
- ,.
.. .
\,.. . .
4- . .... " N" ... " ... " IMO " /2-
&..ngtIl of TIllIe Home....
-- --
1_.-_-
,.-.
.--.
"
c
Ll!!luh of Time in the Co_tv. Of the hoae1e.. who reepoll4ed to thie
queeUOD, 14S (110) had be. in Sen Bell'll&rdino COUllt)' Ie.. then 6 IIODthe,
4.5S (36) had been in the COUllt,. between 6 _the end 1 ,.eu, In: (136) had
been in the COUllt)' frOll 1 to 5 ,.eue, 9.5S (74) heel been in the COUllt)' frOll
5 to 10 ,.eare, 17S (134) heel been in the COUllt)' frOll 10 ,.eara to 20 ,.eare,
15.5S had been in the COUllt)' frOll 20 to 30 ,.eue, 6.5S (52) heel been in the
COUllt,. frOll 30 to 40 ,.eua, 2S (la) had be. in the COUllt)' frOll 40 to 50
,.eare end 3S (22) heel be. in the Count)' aore then 50 ,.eare (eee Fieure 9
below). The .een leD1th Of tiae en adult had been been in Sen Bell'll&rclino
COUllt,. wu 19 ,.eue. LeDlth Of tiae theee iDdhiduale had been in the
COUllt)' rUl&ed frOll 1 d.,. to 65 ,...n.
nc:uu 9
Length of Time In County
San Bernardlnol Adult. Only
II of HOlM....
110
140
e' 120
100
eo
eo
40
20
0
_0 "0-1 H 1-10 11-20 11-10 11-40 4HO eo.
Year. Uved In County
..1 H........ c_
.-
\",.
P..e 12
/2
---
..-..
(
Sourc:ea of Inc:ome. riaure 10 below indic:ate. that D1IIIber of hOlDe1e.. who
c:hec:lted .pec:ific it.... a. .ource. of incOlDe. Of 743 re.ponclmte, a ujority
(501) indicated that th." had no eource of fIlcOlDe and 144 iIldiYiduale
indic:ated that thesr receive food .tamp..
nGURI 10
SOU2C1S or DCOIII
fOUL IISPOJIIlDTS . 743
" of 110,....... ttl.. __c1 ttlll .ouroe
100
eo1
100
400
100
100
,.. 100
C . .
0
1 I I 4 I I 7 . . 10 11 .
Source. of Income
Source '1
Source '2
Source '3
Source 14
Source 15
Source '6
Source 17
Source II
Source 19
Source '10
Source '11
Source '12
c
_lOJHD,t
UIle.plOJllmt I4IIlefi t.
Veter_ Benefite
SSI/SSP
General Welfare lellef
B_le.. Aa.I.tllllCe Pro.r..
Food StUlpll
DI.ablllty Imeflt.lVorkaan'. Co.p.
Social Secarlty/letlr..mt Imeflte
BOIllI
UIlC
Other
Page 13
/2-
,-
\...
t
-
"-
""~"''',
Event. th.t L..d to Rom.l...n.... 1i,Ur. 11 b.low iudic.t.. the number of
home1e.. that Checked .p.cific it... .. event. that l..d to th.ir hom.l...
condition. MaD)' of the 707 r..pondents ch.ck.d IIOre then one event. The 1I0.t
often Checked eVent va. "I lost Q Job." Other cOllllonl~ Checked events vere
"alcohol and drva abuse" (183) and "I v.. .harlna houdna vith
friend./relati.e. end v.. a.ked to 1e.ve." (127).
Event 11
Event #2
Event #3
Event #4
Event #5
!Tent '6
Event #7
Event ,a
!Tent #9
Event 110
nGllU 11
EVENTS THAT LEAD TO HOMELESSNESS
Total ....poncIanta · 707
" of 1loIne.... who ...oIlH tIlla ~nt
tOO
400
110
100
210
100
tlO
10
o
t
I
I
..
. . 7
Ewnt II
I
.
to
I 1I0ved here ezpectina work and foUDd none
Illne.. or .ccident
Forced out or evicted
I lost Q Job
I lo.t or did not receiye lovernment benefit.
I va. eharina hou.ina vith friend./relatiye. and va. a.ked to leave
Dome.tic Violence
Alcohol or drva abu.e
Rental unit .old or condemned
Other
P.,e 14
/2
,,",,'-"
DISCDSSIOJr
c
A total count of 1062 ho..l.aa individuala in the City of San Bernardino
repre.ent. a .ianificant problem. In addition, a ratio of 6.1 homeless
individual. p.r 1000 of the len.ral POPUlation indicate. that a portion of
our population i. .truaalina on tha frina.. of exi.tence. The.. numb.r. ar.
indicator. that the plaanina and implementation of homel... prolrama are
e.sential to the velfare of the City. Car. .hould be taken, hovever, when
comparina homel... to leneral population ratio.. Whi1. the City can be
confident that a rea.onsb1y r.liabl. count va. Conducted, v. caanot b. .ure
that fi,ure. reported to SCAG from other cities ar. accurate.
Sex and .thnic difference. cl.ar1y indicate that ..l.s and minoriti.. are
overrepresented in the homele.. population. Th. overrepresentation by ..les
may be the re.ult of .oci.ty'. prioriti.. with relard to the car. of female.
and children. The overr.pr..ent.tion by minorities ..y be the re.ult of
.ocietial attitude. which nelativ.ly impact .pecific racial Iroup..
Compari.ons betveen the City of San Bernardino and other ar.a. in the county
indicat. that the City'. popul.tion of hom.l... i. r.lativ. older than the
mean of the r.st of the county. Thi. phen_en is not clearly understood.
While the City has a consider.ble number of .inale individual. who are
homel..., almo.t half of the total homele.. population ar. a part of som.
fUlily Iroup which is homel.... The city has . rel.tively lerl. population
of homel... under the AI. of 19. IIore importantly, IUID7 of our homeless
children .r. not attandina .chool. Th. education of hom.le.. children i.
es.ential if ve .re to keep the problem of homel..ane.. frOll become a
C:'.'; len.rational on..
\".. The vut ..jority (80s) of the hom.l... .urveyed have been in the County of
San Bernardino for on. y..r or IIOr.. In .ddition, a larle majority (71~)
have been homele.. le.. than . y.ar. The.. fieure. indicate. th.t most of
the ho.ele.. in our City .re local people who have fallen on hard times.
Re.ult. a1.0 indicat. that v.ry few of the hOllel... ar. e.mina 8D7 income.
Only 53 individual. indicat.d that they are employed. Of the catelory
"oth.r" lIO.t P.opl. .aid that they earn IIOney by p.n~.n~lina or collectina
cans and bottl... Almo.t half of tha ho..le.. .urveyed have no .ourc. of
incom..
Th. moat c_ rea.on stated for beina hOllele.. va. the 10.. of a job. It
i. apparent that ve have a larle portion of the ho.eless who v.re one.
vorkina and able to .fford houaina. On. que.tion which needs to b. anav.red
is why they .r. now uaabl. to do so. Clearly, the stre.sed ec~ is
impactina our citizens. Jobs ars scares and those that exist do not pay
enouah to allow ona to ..intain a hou.ehold. Solutiona re1ativ. to these
fasu.. vhich the City haa aom. minimal control ov.r are the provision of
affordable houaina and the cr.ation of joba.
COllCLUSIOJr
/'-
"
The data presented in this r.port s.rv.s as a barometer in identif7ina and
forcaatina trend. in homele.ane.. in which the problem can be addressed by
responsive prolrama, project. and activitie..
Pale 15
/2