The county of Los Angeles and city of Santa Monica are in need of volunteers for the 2013 Los Angeles County and Santa Monica Homeless counts, taking place Jan. 29 — 31.
On Wednesday, Jan 30, registered volunteers will meet at the Santa Monica Civic Center East Auditorium at 10:30 p.m. and help until 2:30 a.m. Interested participants can RSVP online at www.smgov.net/homelessness or contact Joanna Rodriguez at (310) 458-8701.
In 2012, the city of Santa Monica found that the homeless population increased slightly compared to the time period between 2009 and 2011, according to the 2012 Santa Monica Homeless Count Findings report presented by the Human Services Division.
Every two years, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development mandates a count of the homeless population for "all communities that receive federal funds for homelessness programs," according to the city of Santa Monica's website. The city's volunteers use the count to track yearly changes and evaluate the success of local efforts to reduce homelessness in Santa Monica.
The Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count is the nation's largest count of homeless individuals and families, covering almost 4,000 square miles. To volunteer for the county's count, go to www.theycountwillyou.org, or for more information, call (213) 225-8411.
