VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) - Virginia Beach officials are asking for the public’s help in identifying locations around the city where homeless people live.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires cities that receive federal funding for homeless programs to conduct an unduplicated count of the homeless population known as the Point-in-Time Count. The information submitted by the public will help guide teams of volunteers during the 2020 count.
Location points reported by the public should include the date observed and additional details that will help describe the situation.
Officials are asking for visual observations only. The city has a Homeless Outreach Team whose role is to find, engage and assess the needs of people experiencing street homelessness, and help connect them to available resources.
The count helps determine how much funding a community will receive for homeless programs and services. It also provides demographic information about a city’s homeless population.
Each year, more than $1.9 million is granted through the Continuum of Care to Virginia Beach agencies that provide housing and supportive services to the homeless.
Citizens can submit locations directly on a map from their mobile device or computer.
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