2011 oc orange county homeless_report_final

2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey Acknowledgements

© Applied Survey Research, 2011 i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The considerable talents and efforts of many individuals helped to assure the success of this endeavor. The 2011 Orange County Homeless Census and Survey Project Committee, including OC Community Services, OC Partnership, Applied Survey Research, and representatives from over 30 local homeless service provider agencies, would like to thank the many service providers who assisted in the administration of surveys, facilitated the process of homeless peer enumeration by recruiting census enumerators and surveyors, and opened the doors of their facilities to host training sessions, deploy census enumerators, and distribute surveys. The Committee also thanks the dozens of homeless service providers, homeless individuals, and other community members who advised on the locations of homelessness throughout the County, toward the goal of conducting as comprehensive and accurate an enumeration as possible. The Committee thanks the hundreds of community volunteers who participated in the census and survey efforts. Finally, the Committee would like to thank the homeless census and survey workers, as well as the survey respondents, whose efforts are reflected throughout the findings of this report.

Community Partners

211 Orange County Build Futures Children's Bureau Chris Guzman Foundation Colette's Children's Home Eli Home, Inc. Faith Episcopal Church Friendship Shelter, Inc. Habitat for Humanity Heritage Christian Fellowship Church HomeAid Orange County Hospital Association of Southern California

Illumination Foundation Jamboree HOMES, Inc. Laguna Beach Resource Center Mercy House Micah's Way OC Community Housing Corporation OC Community Services OC Head Start, Inc. OC Partnership OC Interfaith Shelter OC Health Care Agency OC Rescue Mission Public Law Center

Regional Task Force on the Homeless Salvation Army Serving People in Need Share Our Selves Southern California Alcohol and Drug Programs, Inc. Taller San Jose Toby's House United Way Orange County VA Long Beach Healthcare System Veterans First Women's Transitional Living Center

Acknowledgements 2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey

ii © Applied Survey Research, 2011

Applied Survey Research Project Director

Peter Connery, Vice President

Project Managers

Ken Ithiphol Laura Connery

Analysts and Researchers

Susan Brutschy, President Shary Carvalho James Connery

John Connery Natalie Dalton Samantha Green

Michelle Luedtke Javier Salcedo Joanne Sánchez

Street Count Training Sites

Boys & Girls Club Westminster

Church of Christ Anaheim

Covenant Presbyterian Church Orange

San Felipe De Jesus Chapel Capistrano Beach

Share Our Selves (SOS) Costa Mesa

Veterans First Santa Ana

Street Count Deployment Centers

Boys & Girls Club Westminster

Church of Christ Anaheim

Micah’s Way Center Santa Ana

San Felipe De Jesus Chapel Capistrano Beach


South County Outreach Lake Forest

Survey Training and Distribution Sites

Alternate Sleeping Location, Friendship Shelter Laguna Beach

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Newport Beach

Micah’s Way Center Santa Ana


Veterans First Santa Ana

2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey Table of Contents

© Applied Survey Research, 2011 iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................................................................ iIntroduction .................................................................................................................................................................................... 1

Federal Definition of Homelessness ......................................................................................................................................... 2Project Purpose and Goals ....................................................................................................................................................... 3

Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................................................... 5Homeless Census Findings .......................................................................................................................................................... 9

Point-in-Time Count ................................................................................................................................................................ 11Total Population .............................................................................................................................................................. 11Unsheltered Population ................................................................................................................................................... 12Sheltered Population ....................................................................................................................................................... 14

Countywide Annual Estimation ............................................................................................................................................... 15Homeless Survey Findings ......................................................................................................................................................... 17

Demographics ........................................................................................................................................................................ 19Age .................................................................................................................................................................................. 19Gender ............................................................................................................................................................................ 19Race/Ethnicity ................................................................................................................................................................. 20

Primary Causes of Homelessness ......................................................................................................................................... 20Occurrence and Duration of Homelessness ........................................................................................................................... 21

Occurrence of Homelessness ......................................................................................................................................... 21Duration of Homelessness .............................................................................................................................................. 22

Living Situation Prior to Becoming Homeless ......................................................................................................................... 23County Residency ........................................................................................................................................................... 23Previous Living Arrangements ........................................................................................................................................ 24

Current Living Situation .......................................................................................................................................................... 25Usual Nighttime Accommodations ................................................................................................................................... 25Current Living Arrangements .......................................................................................................................................... 26Social Support Networks ................................................................................................................................................. 27

Obstacles to Obtaining Permanent Housing ........................................................................................................................... 27Employment and Income ........................................................................................................................................................ 28

Employment Status ......................................................................................................................................................... 29Barriers to Employment ................................................................................................................................................... 30Income ............................................................................................................................................................................ 30

Disabling Conditions ............................................................................................................................................................... 31Physical and Developmental Disabilities ......................................................................................................................... 32Mental Health .................................................................................................................................................................. 33Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) ......................................................................................................................... 33Chronic Health Problems ................................................................................................................................................ 34HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Hepatitis C ........................................................................................................................ 34Substance Abuse ............................................................................................................................................................ 35Disabling Conditions Among Respondents’ Spouse, Significant Other, or Parent .......................................................... 35

Incarceration ........................................................................................................................................................................... 36Nights in Jail or Prison ..................................................................................................................................................... 36Transition from Jail or Prison ........................................................................................................................................... 36

Foster Care ............................................................................................................................................................................ 36

Table of Contents 2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey

iv © Applied Survey Research, 2011

Domestic/Partner Violence or Abuse ...................................................................................................................................... 36Access to Assistance/Services, Homeless Programs, and Medical Care .............................................................................. 37

Access to Government Assistance .................................................................................................................................. 37Access to Services and Programs ................................................................................................................................... 39Access to Shelters ........................................................................................................................................................... 39Access to Food ................................................................................................................................................................ 41Access to Medical Care ................................................................................................................................................... 41

Use of Technology .................................................................................................................................................................. 42HUD-Defined Homeless Subpopulations ................................................................................................................................... 45

Chronic Homelessness ........................................................................................................................................................... 48Homeless Veterans ................................................................................................................................................................ 50Homeless Families ................................................................................................................................................................. 52Unaccompanied Homeless Children and Youth ..................................................................................................................... 55

Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................................................... 57Appendix I: Homeless Census & Survey Methodology ........................................................................................................... 59Appendix II: “Hot Spot” & “Cold” Spot” Identification Form .................................................................................................. 71Appendix III: Street Census Instrument .................................................................................................................................... 75Appendix IV: Survey Instrument ................................................................................................................................................ 77Appendix V: Overall Survey Results .......................................................................................................................................... 81Appendix VI: Summary for the 2011 Continuum of Care Application ..................................................................................... 97Appendix VII: Definitions and Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................ 99

2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey Table of Figures

© Applied Survey Research, 2011 v

TABLE OF FIGURES Figure 1: Point-in-Time Homeless Census and Annual Estimate ................................................................................................. 5Figure 2: Estimated Point-in-Time Homeless Census Population ............................................................................................... 12Figure 3: Unsheltered Homeless Population, Point-in-Time Count and Point-in-Time Countywide Projection ........................... 13Figure 4: Sheltered Homeless Population, Point-in-Time Count ................................................................................................. 14Figure 5: Point-in-Time Homeless Count and Annual Estimate of Homelessness ..................................................................... 16Figure 6: Survey Respondents by Age ....................................................................................................................................... 19Figure 7: Survey Respondents by Race/Ethnicity ....................................................................................................................... 20Figure 8: Primary Event or Condition That Led to Respondents’ Current Episode of Homelessness (Top 5 Responses in

2011) ........................................................................................................................................................................... 21Figure 9: Number of Times Respondents Had Been Homeless in the Last 12 Months, Including This Present Time ................ 22Figure 10: Number of Times Respondents Had Been Homeless in the Last 3 Years, Including This Present Time .................... 22Figure 11: Duration of Current Homeless Episode, 2011 ............................................................................................................. 23Figure 12: Length of Time Since Last Permanent Housing Situation ............................................................................................ 23Figure 13: Where Respondents Were Living at the Time They Most Recently Became Homeless .............................................. 24Figure 14: Living Arrangements Immediately Prior to Becoming Homeless This Time (Top 5 Responses) ................................. 25Figure 15: Where Respondents Usually Stay At Night ................................................................................................................. 26Figure 16: Of Respondents Who Reported Not Living Alone, Percentage Who Reported Living With the Following People ....... 27Figure 17: Circumstances That Were Keeping Respondents From Securing Permanent Housing (Top 5 Responses) .............. 28Figure 18: Employment Status of Respondents, 2011 .................................................................................................................. 29Figure 19: Barriers that Were Keeping Unemployed Respondents from Getting Employment, 2011 (Top 5 Responses) ........... 30Figure 20: Total Monthly Income from All Government Benefits (County, State, or Federal Monies) ........................................... 30Figure 21: Total Monthly Income from All Non-Government Sources (Job, Panhandling, Recycling, etc.) .................................. 31Figure 22: Number of Co-occurring Disabling Conditions Among All Homeless Respondents ..................................................... 32Figure 23: Percentage of Respondents Who Were Currently Experiencing a Physical or Developmental Disability .................... 32Figure 24: Percentage of Respondents Who Were Currently Experiencing a Mental Illness or Depression ................................ 33Figure 25: Percentage of Respondents Who Were Currently Experiencing HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, or Hepatitis C ................... 35Figure 26: Of Respondents Living with a Spouse, Significant Other, or Parent, Percentage Whose Spouse, Significant Other, or

Parent Has the Following Disabling Conditions that Prevent Them from Maintaining Work or Housing, 2011 ........... 35Figure 27: Number of Nights Respondents Reported Spending in Jail/Prison in the Year Prior to the Survey ............................. 36Figure 28: Respondents Who Were Experiencing Domestic/Partner Violence or Abuse (By Gender) ......................................... 37Figure 29: Of Those Respondents Receiving Some Form of Government Assistance, Types of Assistance Received (Top 5

Responses in 2011) ..................................................................................................................................................... 38Figure 30: Reasons for Not Receiving Government Assistance (Top 7 Responses in 2011) ....................................................... 38Figure 31: Of Those Respondents Utilizing Any Services or Assistance, Types of Services or Assistance Utilized

(Top 5 Responses in 2011) ......................................................................................................................................... 39Figure 32: In the Last 30 Days, Have You Ever Tried to Stay at a Shelter or Transitional Housing Program in Orange County

and Been Turned Away? ............................................................................................................................................. 40Figure 33: Of Respondents Who Tried to Stay at a Shelter or Transitional Housing Facility in the Month Prior to the Survey and

Were Turned Away, Reasons They Were Turned Away (Top 5 Responses in 2011) ................................................. 40Figure 34: Do You Usually Get Enough to Eat on a Daily Basis? ................................................................................................. 41

Table of Figures 2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey

vi © Applied Survey Research, 2011

Figure 35: Respondents’ Usual Source of Medical Care (Top 5 Responses) ............................................................................... 42Figure 36: Number of Times Respondents Used the Emergency Room for Any Treatment in the Last 12 Months ..................... 42Figure 37: Frequency of Internet Usage, 2011 ............................................................................................................................. 43Figure 38: Homeless Subpopulation Estimates ............................................................................................................................ 47Figure 39: Chronically Homeless Subpopulations ........................................................................................................................ 49Figure 40: Homeless Veteran Subpopulation ............................................................................................................................... 51Figure 41: Of Veteran Respondents Receiving Veterans Services/Assistance, Type of Veterans Services/Assistance Received,

2011 ............................................................................................................................................................................. 52Figure 42: Homeless Families with Children Subpopulation ......................................................................................................... 53Figure 43: Of Respondents with Children (Living with Them or Not), Percentage with Children in the Following Age Groups,

2011 ............................................................................................................................................................................. 54Figure 44: Of Respondents with Children in the Following Age Groups, Number of Children They Have in those Age Groups .. 55Figure 45: Unaccompanied Homeless Children and Youth Subpopulations, 2011 ....................................................................... 56

2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey Introduction

© Applied Survey Research, 2011 1

INTRODUCTION Close to two million Americans experience homelessness each year.1

Every other January, communities across the United States conduct comprehensive counts of their homeless population, in order to gain a better understanding of the current homeless population, and to apply for federal funding for homeless programs. The County of Orange worked in conjunction with Applied Survey Research (ASR) to conduct the 2011 Orange County Homeless Census and Survey of unaccompanied homeless adults and children and homeless families. ASR is a non-profit social research organization headquartered in Santa Cruz County, California, with extensive experience in homeless enumeration and research.

For most, this is caused by the gap between income and the cost of housing. Yet for many, health conditions, mental health, substance abuse, trauma, and lack of support prevent them from obtaining permanent housing.

The 2011 Orange County Point-in-Time (PIT) Homeless Count was a community-wide effort. Conducted on January 22, 2011, the count and subsequent surveys provided information about the homeless population that is critical to program and service planning, helps to inform the allocation of resources for services to help the homeless, and offers a means of measuring the impact of homeless programs and services. In addition, it is required by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as part of a national effort to enumerate the homeless population. All jurisdictions receiving federal funding to provide housing and services for the homeless through the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants are required to conduct a biennial point-in-time count of unsheltered and sheltered homeless persons sometime during the last ten days of January. Currently the County of Orange receives $13.2 million in Homeless Assistance Grant funds. This is a critical source of funding for the County’s homeless services.

Per the guidelines set forth by HUD, the point-in-time count must include all unsheltered homeless persons and sheltered homeless persons staying in emergency shelters and transitional housing programs on the date(s) of the count. Persons in Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP) funded hotel/motel vouchers are counted in the emergency shelter category and persons in families who are housed in programs funded with 2008 Rapid Re-Housing Demonstration (RRHD) grants are counted in the transitional housing category. Communities report the findings of their point-in-time count in their annual application to HUD for federal funding to provide housing and services for the homeless. The compilation of data collected through point-in-time counts across the United States helps the federal government to better understand the nature and extent of homelessness nationwide. An overall summary of Orange County’s homeless population and subpopulations for the 2011 Continuum of Care Application can be found in Appendix VI of this report.

The homeless count had two components: a point-in-time enumeration of unsheltered homeless individuals and families (those sleeping outdoors, on the streets, in parks, vehicles, etc.) and a point-in-

1 The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. (2010). Opening Doors: federal strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness. Washington, DC.

Introduction 2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey

2 © Applied Survey Research, 2011

time enumeration of homeless individuals and families who have temporary shelter (those staying in emergency shelters and transitional housing, and those using motel vouchers). The unsheltered street count took place during the early morning of January 22, 2011. In order to capture the number of homeless individuals and families staying in emergency shelters and transitional housing programs, shelter providers in the County completed an online survey, reporting the number of homeless individuals and families who occupied their facility on the night of January 23, 2011. The unsheltered homeless enumeration methodology, developed by ASR in 2001, has been highlighted by HUD in the 2008 Guide to Counting Unsheltered Homeless People and the 2011 Guidance for Point-in-Time Counts of Homeless People.

In addition to the countywide homeless count, a 29-question survey was administered in the weeks following the street count to 794 sheltered and unsheltered homeless individuals. The survey was designed to yield qualitative data about the homeless population in Orange County. A sample of both homeless adults and unaccompanied homeless children and youth completed the survey.

The results presented in this report provide invaluable data regarding the number and characteristics of homeless persons in Orange County, which can help guide countywide efforts to mitigate and end homelessness. This report focuses special attention on specific subpopulations, including: chronically homeless persons and families, homeless veterans, homeless families, and unaccompanied homeless children and youth. These groups have been identified by the federal government as populations of particular interest in the 2011 point-in-time homeless count.

For a complete list of definitions and abbreviations of terms used in this report, please see Appendix VII.

Federal Definition of Homelessness In this study, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD’s) definition of homelessness was used.2

An individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, and

The definition is:

An individual who has a primary nighttime residence that is:

» A supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations (including welfare hotels, congregate shelters, and transitional housing for the mentally ill),

» An institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized, or

» A public or private place not designated for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.

2 Taken from Title 42, Chapter 119, Subchapter I, §10302(a) of the United States Code of Federal Regulations based on the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey Introduction


Certain homeless individuals are excluded from this definition, including: unsheltered homeless individuals who were “doubled-up” in the homes of family or friends; and sheltered homeless individuals in jails, hospitals, and rehabilitation facilities.

Project Purpose and Goals In 1987, President Ronald Reagan signed into law the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, providing funding for a range of services to address homelessness. Since 2005, the U.S. Congress has required that local governments receiving federal funds under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act conduct point-in-time counts of their homeless populations every two years. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) uses information from the local point-in-time counts, among other data sources, in the congressionally-mandated Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress (AHAR). This report is meant to inform Congress about the number of people experiencing homelessness in the United States and the effectiveness of HUD’s programs and policies in decreasing those numbers.

In order to generate accurate and useful data about the local homeless population, the County of Orange and its municipal governments carry out this homeless census and survey. The 2011 Orange County Homeless Census and Survey Project Committee identified several important project goals:

To preserve current federal funding for homeless services and to enhance the ability to raise new funds;

To improve the ability of policy makers and service providers to plan and implement services that meet the needs of the local homeless population;

To measure changes in the numbers and characteristics of the homeless population over time, and to track progress toward ending homelessness;

To increase public awareness of overall homeless issues and generate support for constructive solutions; and

To assess the status of the chronically homeless, homeless veterans, homeless families, and unaccompanied homeless children under the age of 18.

The results of this research will assist service providers, policy makers, funders, and local, state, and federal governments to better understand and plan for the needs of the homeless population by examining current statistics in various geographical contexts. It is hoped that the 2011 Orange County Homeless Census and Survey will help policy makers and service providers to more effectively develop services and programs to serve the County’s homeless population.

Introduction 2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey


2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey Executive Summary


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In conjunction with Applied Survey Research, OC Community Services and OC Partnership conducted the 2011 Orange County Point-in-Time Homeless Census and Survey. The 2011 homeless census was performed using the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recommended practices for counting homeless individuals. This study included a comprehensive enumeration of homeless individuals residing in Orange County on January 22, 2011. In order to generate detailed profiles of homeless individuals in Orange County, 794 surveys of homeless individuals were conducted in the weeks following the census. Data from this representative survey sample revealed more detailed information about the population. The research design relied on self-described and self-defined responses, which is an approved method in homeless research due to the limitations in connecting homeless individuals to their clinical profiles.

2011 Homeless Census and Survey Findings There was a 17% decrease in the number of homeless individuals counted in the 2011 Homeless Census from 2009.

6,939 homeless individuals were estimated during the 2011 point-in-time count.

It is estimated that 18,325 unduplicated persons experience homelessness annually in Orange County.

» Based on the United States Census 2010 population profile, this annual estimate of homelessness represented approximately 0.6% of Orange County’s total population of 3,010,232 people.3

Figure 1: Point-in-Time Homeless Census and Annual Estimate

2009 2011 09-11

Number Percent Number Percent Net Change Percent Change

Unsheltered projection 5,724 68.7% 4,272 61.6% -1,452 -25.4% Shelter enumeration 2,609 31.3% 2,667 38.4% 58 2.2% Total count 8,333 100.0% 6,939 100.0% -1,394 -16.7% Annual estimate 21,479 - 18,325 - -3,154 -14.7%

Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Census and Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Census and Survey. The majority of homeless individuals in Orange County were white males between the ages of 31 and 60.

63% of homeless survey respondents were male and 37% were female.

3 United States Census Bureau, United States Census 2010, 2011.

Executive Summary 2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey


62% of survey respondents were White/Caucasian, 21% were Hispanic/Latino, and 11% were Black/ African American.

77% of respondents were between 31-60 years old.

Over three-quarters (77%) of respondents were living in Orange County when they most recently became homeless.

Nearly two-thirds of homeless persons in Orange County were unsheltered.

62% of those counted in the census were unsheltered (4,272 individuals) and 38% (2,667 individuals) were in shelter facilities, including emergency shelters, transitional housing programs, and motel voucher programs.

Job loss and substance use were the top two causes of homelessness.

39% of respondents cited job loss as the primary reason for their current episode of homelessness.

17% cited alcohol/drug use as the primary reason for their homelessness. 55% of respondents indicated this was the first time they had experienced homelessness.

49% of respondents had been homeless for less than a year.

83% indicated that they were homeless only one time in the past year. Over half (57%) of respondents said that they had a disabling condition in 2011, which is down from 99% in 2009.4

24% had a physical disability in 2011.

20% had a mental illness.

25% were experiencing chronic health problems.

33% were currently using alcohol and/or other drugs. 63% of respondents indicated they were receiving some form of government assistance.

Of respondents receiving government assistance, 73% were receiving Food Stamps, 25% were receiving Medi-Cal/Medi-Care, and 15% were receiving MSI (Medical Services Initiative).

53% of respondents were receiving money from government benefits.

47% were receiving money from private, non-government sources.

21% of respondents reported receiving not receiving any income whatsoever.

4 For the purposes of this study, a disabling condition was defined as a physical or developmental disability, mental illness, severe depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, chronic health problems, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis C, or substance abuse.

2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey Executive Summary


HUD-Defined Homeless Subpopulations Chronic Homelessness

Approximately 24% of all homeless people in Orange County were chronically homeless.

It is estimated that on any given day, Orange County has a chronically homeless population of approximately 1,651 persons. This represents a 56% decrease from 3,783 chronically homeless individuals in 2009.

In 2011, HUD extended the definition of chronic homelessness to include families and 19 individuals were found to be in chronically homeless families.

Homeless Veterans

In 2011, HUD and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) agreed to use the HUD PIT count as the definitive federal estimate of veteran homelessness.

It is estimated that on any given day, Orange County has a homeless veteran population of approximately 856 persons. This represents 12% of the total point-in-time population, and a 33% decrease from 1,282 homeless veterans in 2009.

» 89% of homeless veterans were unsheltered in 2011. Homeless Families with Children

Data from the homeless count showed that a total of 574 homeless families with children under 18 years of age were identified in 2011, a 19% increase from 481 homeless families in 2009.

The number of persons in families with children in Orange County increased by 24% (from 1,377 persons in 2009 to 1,708 persons in 2011).

Unaccompanied Homeless Children and Youth

Overall, 54 unaccompanied homeless children (under 18) and 215 unaccompanied homeless youth (18-24) were enumerated in the 2011 point-in-time count.

Of these unaccompanied homeless children and youth, the majority (85%) were unsheltered.

Conclusion The homeless count and survey provided valid and useful data which helped create a more comprehensive picture of those experiencing homelessness in Orange County in 2011. The 2011 point-in-time homeless count, however, should be considered conservative since it is well known that even with the most thorough methodology, many homeless individuals stay in locations where they cannot be seen or counted by enumeration teams. Further, many women, families, and children and youth try to remain hidden for safety.

Executive Summary 2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey


2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey Homeless Census Findings


HOMELESS CENSUS FINDINGS

Homeless Census Findings 2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey




HOMELESS CENSUS FINDINGS The following section presents the results from the homeless census component of the project. In accordance to the guidelines set forth by HUD, the point-in-time count included an enumeration of unsheltered and sheltered homeless persons. The point-in-time street count was conducted on January 22, 2011, from approximately 5:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., during which census enumerators canvassed a sample of 150 U.S. Census Tracts in Orange County. The number of homeless persons counted in these 150 tracts was then used to make a countywide projection. In addition, the number of homeless persons occupying emergency shelters and transitional housing facilities was enumerated by shelter staff on the night of January 21, 2011.

Due to the similar research methodology used in 2009 and 2011, results for these two years are directly comparable. For a detailed explanation of the methodology used for the 2011 Orange County Homeless Census, please refer to Appendix I. A copy of the “hot spot” identification form can be found in Appendix II and a copy of the street census instrument can be found in Appendix III.

Point-in-Time Count Total Population

A total of 6,939 homeless persons were estimated to be living in Orange County on January 22, 2011.

» 62% (4,272 persons) were unsheltered. This unsheltered population was projected from a total of 1,626 unsheltered persons counted in the point-in-time sample enumeration of 150 census tracts. This included individuals living on the streets and in cars, vans, RVs, abandoned buildings, and encampments.

» 38% (2,667 persons) were enumerated in emergency shelters and transitional housing programs.5

Single individuals (5,231) made up 75% of the point-in-time homeless population, while persons in families (1,708) made up 25%.

» Persons in families made up less than 1% of the unsheltered homeless population (22), and 63% of the sheltered population (1,686).

» A total of 574 family units were identified during the homeless count (7 families unsheltered, 174 families sheltered in emergency shelters, and 393 families sheltered in transitional housing facilities).

84% of the point-in-time homeless population (5,834) were adults over the age of 18 and 16% (1,105) were children under 18 years of age.

5 No homeless persons were enumerated in safe havens as there were no safe haven programs in Orange County.



Figure 2: Estimated Point-in-Time Homeless Census Population

Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Census. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Census. Unsheltered Population

On January 22, 2011, a total of 1,626 unsheltered homeless persons were counted during the point-in-time street enumeration of 150 Orange County census tracts. This point-in-time count projected to a countywide unsheltered homeless population of 4,271 unsheltered persons.

» Compared to the 2009, the projected countywide unsheltered homeless population decreased by 25% (representing a decrease of 1,453 unsheltered persons).

609 persons were estimated to be occupying the cars, vans/RVs, abandoned buildings, and encampments that were counted during the street count.6

» This estimation was based on 46 cars, 154 vans/RVs, 6 abandoned buildings, and 69 encampments visually observed during the street enumeration for which the number of occupants could not be determined.

Of the projected point-in-time countywide unsheltered homeless population:

» 84% were single adult males,

6 The number of individuals enumerated in cars, vans, RVs, abandoned buildings, and encampments are estimates based on empirical data from the 2011 homeless survey. During the street count, when the exact number of homeless individuals could not be identified due to the setting of their sleeping locations (e.g., in vehicles, abandoned buildings, and encampments) but there was evidence of homeless occupants residing in these settings, census enumerators kept tallies of vehicles, abandoned buildings, and encampments. Enumeration teams did this only when both team members agreed that there were in fact homeless occupants present. Recognized by HUD as an acceptable practice, an “adjustment value” was then applied to estimate the number of individuals occupying vehicles, abandoned buildings, and encampments. These “adjustment values” were derived from the 2011 homeless survey, which asked survey respondents living in cars, vans, RVs, abandoned buildings, and encampments to report the number of people usually stay there. The results of these questions produced average number of people or “adjustment value” for each of these sleeping locations, which were: 1.51 for cars, 1.86 for vans/RVs, 3.98 for abandoned buildings, and 3.13 for encampments units.

8,333

5,724

2,609

6,939

4,272 2,667

0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000

10,000

Total Unsheltered Sheltered

2009 2011



» 16% were single adult females,

» Less than 1% were unaccompanied children under 18, and

» Less than 1% were persons in families (22 persons in 7 family units).

Figure 3: Unsheltered Homeless Population, Point-in-Time Count and Point-in-Time Countywide Projection

Point-in-Time Count Point-in-Time Countywide Projection

2009 2011 2009 2011 Net Change Percent Change

Single individuals 1,898 1,012 5,643 4,250 -1393 -24.7% Adult males 1,399 798 4,716 3,574 -1,142 -24.2% Adult females 268 148 903 663 -240 -26.6% Adults of undetermined gender* 224 63 - - - -

Unaccompanied children under 18 7 3 24 13 -11 -45.8%

Persons in families 24 5 81 22 -59 -72.8% Adult male 5 0 17 0 -17 -100.0% Adult female 7 2 24 9 -15 -62.5% Children under 18 12 3 40 13 -27 -67.5% Number of families 8 2 27 7 -20 -74.1%

Persons in parks, vehicles, abandoned buildings, & encampments

572 609 - - - -

Persons in parks 18 0 - - - - Cars

Persons in cars 109 76 - - - - Number of cars 84 46 - - - -

Vans/RVs Persons in vans/RVs 248 293 - - - - Number of vans/RVs 123 154 - - - -

Abandoned buildings - - - Persons in abandoned buildings 44 24 - - - -

Number of abandoned buildings 19 6 - - - -

Encampments - - - Persons in encampments 153 216 - - - -

Number of encampments 39 69 - - - -

Total 2,494 1,626 5,724 4,272 -1,452 -25.4% Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Census. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Census.



Sheltered Population

A total of 2,667 homeless persons were enumerated in emergency shelters and transitional housing programs in Orange County on the night of January 21, 2011.7

» This represents a 2% increase from the 2009 point-in-time sheltered homeless population of 2,609 individuals.

Of the point-in-time sheltered homeless population:

» 35% were occupying in emergency shelters and 65% were living in transitional housing programs.

Based on the 2011 Orange County Housing Inventory Chart, of all available emergency shelter and transitional housing beds, 34% were emergency shelter beds and 66% were transitional housing beds.

» 22% were single adult males,

» 12% were single adult females,

» 2% were unaccompanied children under 18, and

» 63% were persons in families (1,686 persons in 567 family units).

Figure 4: Sheltered Homeless Population, Point-in-Time Count

Jurisdiction

Emergency Shelter Transitional Housing Total

2009 2011 2009 2011 2009 2011 Net

Change Percent Change

Single individuals 689 462 499 519 1,188 981 -207 -17.4% Adult males 466 329 293 268 759 597 -162 -21.3% Adult females 194 112 189 217 383 329 -54 -14.1% Adults of undetermined gender 29 0 17 14 46 14 -32 -69.6%

Unaccompanied children under 18 85 21 40 20 125 41 -84 -67.2%

Persons in families 188 479 1,108 1,207 1,296 1,686 390 30.1% Adults* 75 174 453 474 528 648 120 22.7% Children under 18 113 305 655 733 768 1,038 270 35.2% Number of families 70 174 384 393 454 567 113 24.9%

Total 962 941 1,647 1,726 2,609 2,667 58 2.2% Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Census. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Census. * The gender of sheltered adults in families was not specified in the online shelter count survey.

7 No homeless persons were enumerated in safe havens as there were no safe haven programs in Orange County.



Countywide Annual Estimation A point-in-time (PIT) homeless enumeration has an inherent bias of not capturing homeless persons who experience short episodes of homelessness during other times of the year. More people experience homelessness annually than can be counted at any given point in time, as people cycle in and out of homelessness. For example, someone may be homeless between February and May, and another person may become homeless between October and January. Counting only the homeless person found in a January homeless count could under-represent the experience of the homeless person in the February to May timeline. Therefore, based on the survey results from the 2011 Orange County Homeless Census and Survey, ASR used the annualization formula detailed by the Corporation for Supportive Housing to calculate an annual estimate of the number of homeless persons in Orange County over the course of a year. This approach is the HUD-approved method for calculating the annual estimate of homeless persons based on the point-in-time count. The following is an explanation of the annualization calculation.

Three factors were used to determine the annual estimate:8

A = The point-in-time count of currently homeless people (found in the street and shelter count)

B = The number of currently homeless people who became homeless within the last 7 days; and

C = The proportion of currently homeless people who have experienced a previous homeless episode within the past 12 months.

The equation for calculating the annual estimate is: A + [(B*51)*(1 – C)] = Annual estimate

For Orange County in 2011: 6,939 + [(270.621*51)*(1 – 0.175)] = 18,325.379 ≈ 18,325 persons

For Orange County in 2009: 8,333 + [(308.321*51)*(1 – 0.164)] = 21,478.574 ≈ 21,479 persons

The 2011 annual estimate for the unduplicated number of homeless people in Orange County was 18,325 persons, which represents a 15% decrease (or a decrease of 3,154 persons) from the 2009 annual estimate of 21,479 persons.

» This decrease is primarily due to the decrease in the point-in-time count population (a decrease of 1,394 homeless persons) and a decrease in the number of newly homeless individuals.

Based on the United States Census 2010 population profile, the 2011 annual estimate of homelessness represented approximately 0.6% of Orange County’s total population of 3,010,232 people.9

8 Burt, Martha and Wilkins, Carol. Estimating the Need: Projecting from Point-in-Time to Annual Estimates of the Number of Homeless People in a Community and Using this Information to Plan for Permanent Supportive Housing. Corporation for Supportive Housing. March 2005. 9 United Census Bureau, United States Census 2010, 2011.



Figure 5: Point-in-Time Homeless Count and Annual Estimate of Homelessness

2009 2011 09-11 Net Change Percent Change

Point-in-time count 8,333 6,939 -1,394 -16.7% Annual estimate 21,479 18,325 -3,154 -14.7% Total population 2,988,407

(2005-2007) 3,010,232

(2010) 21,825 0.7% Point-in-time to annual multiplier 2.58 2.64 0.06 - Percentage of total population 0.7% 0.6% -0.1 -

Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Census and Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Census and Survey.

2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey Homeless Survey Findings


HOMELESS SURVEY FINDINGS

Homeless Survey Findings 2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey




HOMELESS SURVEY FINDINGS All qualitative data about homelessness in this report were derived from direct surveys of a sample of homeless persons in Orange County. The following section provides an overview of the results generated from the 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey. Please note that missing values (i.e., questions to which survey respondents did not provide answers) have been intentionally omitted from the survey results. In addition, some questions were asked only of a subset of the respondents, based on their response to a prior question. Therefore, the total number of survey respondents for each question will not necessarily equal to the total number of surveys administered (794).

Additional information regarding the Orange County Homeless Survey can be found in the appendices, including: the survey instrument (Appendix IV) and the overall survey results (Appendix V).

Demographics In order to measure the diversity of homeless population living in Orange County, respondents were asked several demographic questions pertaining to their age, gender, ethnicity, and family status. Age

The majority (61%) of 2011 survey respondents were over the age of 40.

Figure 6: Survey Respondents by Age

N: 2009=768, 2011=791. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey. Gender

63% of 2011 respondents identified themselves as male and 37% identified as female.

» 2 respondents identified as transgender and 3 respondents identified as other.

4.2%

24.4%

32.2%

20.7%

13.9%

4.6%

0.0%

4.8%

22.7%

33.7%

22.0%

13.8%

2.9%

0.1%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

61+ years old

51-60 years old

41-50 years old

31-40 years old

22-30 years old

18-21 years old

<18 years old

2009

2011



Race/Ethnicity

The three largest racial/ethnic groups among 2011 survey respondents were: White/Caucasian (62%), Hispanic/Latino (21%), and Black/African American (11%).

» Compared to Orange County’s general population, there were greater percentages of Whites/Caucasians and Blacks/African Americans in the 2011 homeless survey population, and a lower percentage of Hispanics/Latinos.10

Figure 7: Survey Respondents by Race/Ethnicity

N: 2009 Homeless Survey Population=786, 2011 Homeless Survey Population=794, 2010 Orange County General Population=3,010,232. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey. United States Census Bureau, United States Census 2010, 2011.

Primary Causes of Homelessness The most commonly cited cause of homelessness among survey respondents in 2009 and 2011 was

job loss (30% and 39%, respectively).

17% cited alcohol or drug use as the primary cause of their homelessness in 2011; compared to 18% in 2009.

10 United States Census Bureau, United States Census 2010, 2011.

56.2%

21.0% 10.6% 2.3% 3.7% 6.2%

61.7%

21.0% 11.0%

0.8% 3.3% 2.3%

44.1% 33.7%

1.5% 0.2%

18.0% 2.6%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

White/Caucasian Hispanic/Latino Black/African American

American Indian/Alaskan

Native

Asian/Pacific Islander

Other/Multi-ethnic

2009 Homeless Survey Population 2011 Homeless Survey Population 2010 Orange County General Population



Figure 8: Primary Event or Condition That Led to Respondents’ Current Episode of Homelessness (Top 5 Responses in 2011)

N: 2009=782, 2011=788. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey.

Occurrence and Duration of Homelessness While many respondents were experiencing homelessness for the first time, or had been homeless for just a few months, others had been homeless repeatedly or for extended periods of time. The economic crisis seems to have made it more difficult for those who had previously been homeless to remain stably housed. Occurrence of Homelessness

From 2009 to 2011, the percentage of respondents who indicated that this was the first time they had been homeless decreased slightly from 58% to 55%.

When asked about the occurrence of homelessness in the last 12 months, 83% of 2011 respondents indicated that they experienced only one episode of homelessness in the last 12 months (including this present time), compared to 84% of 2009 respondents.

When asked about the occurrence of homelessness in the last 3 years, 11% of 2011 respondents indicated that they experienced four or more episodes of homelessness in the last 3 years (including this present time), compared to 13% of 2009 respondents.

» This is one of the components used to determine whether a person or family can be considered chronically homeless (see Chronic Homelessness section).

5.7%

6.6%

9.0%

16.6%

38.8%

7.9%

5.4%

4.1%

18.2%

30.2%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Divorced or separated

Family/domestic violence

Argument with family/friend

Alcohol/drug use

Lost job

2009

2011



Figure 9: Number of Times Respondents Had Been Homeless in the Last 12 Months, Including This Present Time

N: 2009=785, 2011=794. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey. Figure 10: Number of Times Respondents Had Been Homeless in the Last 3 Years, Including This

Present Time

N: 2009=785, 2011=794. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey. Duration of Homelessness

Over half (51%) of 2011 respondents had been homeless for a year or more this present time.

» This is one of the components used to determine whether a person or family can be considered chronically homeless (see Chronic Homelessness section).

When asked how long it had been since they last lived in a permanent housing situation, over one-third (34%) of 2011 respondents indicated it had been two or more years, compared to 36% of 2009 respondents

83.6%

9.7% 3.2% 1.5% 0.5% 0.4% 1.1%

82.5%

8.1% 2.6% 0.4% 0.6% 1.3% 4.5% 0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

1 time 2 times 3 times 4 times 5 times 6 times > 6 times

2009 2011

70.2%

10.8% 6.5% 3.6% 2.5% 1.8% 4.6%

68.9%

14.9% 5.2% 1.8% 1.3% 1.0% 7.1%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

1 time 2 times 3 times 4 times 5 times 6 times > 6 times

2009 2011



Figure 11: Duration of Current Homeless Episode, 2011

N: 2011=787. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey. Note: This question was added in 2011; therefore, 2009 data is not available. Figure 12: Length of Time Since Last Permanent Housing Situation

N: 2009=784 2011=793. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey.

Living Situation Prior to Becoming Homeless County Residency

In 2011, the majority (77%) of respondents indicated they were living in Orange County at the time they most recently became homeless. This is compared to 73% in 2009.

Of respondents who were living in Orange County when they most recently became homeless:

» The large majority (89%) had been living in Orange County for 3 or more years before they became homeless. This was an increase from 86% in 2009.

4.8% 3.3%

27.1% 13.6% 10.5%

40.7%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

≤ 7 days 8-30 days 1-6 months 7-11 months 1 year > 1 year

3.7% 5.7%

24.1% 10.8% 5.2%

14.2% 8.7%

27.6%

1.4% 3.8% 18.5% 12.1% 7.1%

23.0% 11.3%

22.8%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

≤ 7 days 8-30 days 2-6 months 7-11 months 1 year 1-2 years 2-3 years > 3 years

2009 2011



Figure 13: Where Respondents Were Living at the Time They Most Recently Became Homeless

N: 2009=785, 2011=794. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey. Previous Living Arrangements

45% of respondents indicated they were renting a home or apartment immediately prior to becoming homeless this last time. This is compared to 40% of respondents in 2009.

The percentage of individuals living with relatives or friends increased from 20% to 27% between 2009 and 2011.

10% reported that they were living in a home that they or their partner owned in 2011, compared to 11% in 2009.

0.6%

5.2%

2.4%

1.1%

2.5%

4.4%

6.7%

77.1%

1.1%

5.7%

3.3%

3.4%

2.2%

2.5%

8.9%

72.7%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Out of country

Out of state

Other county in California

San Bernardino County

San Diego County

Riverside County

Los Angeles County

Orange County

2009

2011



Figure 14: Living Arrangements Immediately Prior to Becoming Homeless This Time (Top 5 Responses)


Current Living Situation Usual Nighttime Accommodations

When asked where they usually stay at night since they became homeless, nearly half (47%) of respondents reported usually staying outdoors, on the streets, in parks in 2011. This is an increase from 34% in 2009.

25% indicated that they usually stay at an emergency shelter, transitional housing facility, or another type of shelter in 2011, which is a decrease from 35% in 2009.

10% reported usually staying in an automobile, van, or camper/RV in 2009 and 2011.

6.8%

10.4%

11.7%

15.2%

44.9%

9.2%

11.4%

8.2%

12.1%

40.4%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

In a motel/hotel

In a home owned by you/your partner

With friends

With relatives

In a rented home/apartment 2009

2011



Figure 15: Where Respondents Usually Stay At Night

N: 2009=785, 2011=794. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey. * This includes: a place in a house not normally used for sleeping (kitchen, living room, etc.), unconverted garage/attic/basement, a backyard or storage structure, or an abandoned building. ** This includes: train station, bus depot, transit center, etc. Current Living Arrangements

70% of respondents reported that they live alone (by themselves) in 2011, compared to 57% in 2009.

Of respondents who reported not living alone:11

» 47% reported living with children,

» 21% reported living with their spouse or significant other, and

» 14% reported living with their street family.

11 These responses were not mutually exclusive.

2.8%

1.9%

3.8%

7.3%

10.1%

25.3%

48.9%

1.3%

0.8%

5.4%

11.0%

10.4%

34.6%

36.6%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Other

Public facilities**

Motel/hotel

A structure or indoor area not normally used for sleeping*

Vehicle (car, van, camper/RV)

Emergency, transitional, or other shelter

Outdoors/streets/parks/encampments

2009

2011



Figure 16: Of Respondents Who Reported Not Living Alone, Percentage Who Reported Living With the Following People

N: 2009=Multiple response question with 340 respondents offering 399 responses. 2011=Multiple response question with 234 respondents offering 289 responses. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey. Note: These responses were not mutually exclusive. * “Street family” was added as a response option in 2011; therefore, 2009 data is not available. Social Support Networks

38% of respondents indicated in 2011 that they have a friends/family support network in Orange County, which is down from 45% in 2009.

Obstacles to Obtaining Permanent Housing 75% of respondents cited unemployment or no income as an obstacle to obtaining housing,

compared to 59% of 2009 respondents.

71% indicated that not being able to afford rent was keeping them from securing permanent housing, compared to 65% in 2009.

24.8%

2.1%

2.1%

12.8%

13.7%

21.4%

46.6%

20.9%

4.4%

0.3%

20.9%

32.4%

38.5%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Other

Other family member(s)

Parent or legal guardian

Friend(s)

Street family*

Spouse or significant other

Child(ren)

2009

2011



Figure 17: Circumstances That Were Keeping Respondents From Securing Permanent Housing (Top 5 Responses)

N: 2009=Multiple response question with 755 respondents offering 2,101 responses; 2011=Multiple response question with 788 respondents offering 2,301 responses. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey. Note: These responses were not mutually exclusive.

Employment and Income The 2011 United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Federal Poverty Level for one person is approximately $908 per month.12

However, the local self-sufficiency standard is a more realistic measure of the true cost of living. The self-sufficiency standard is a measure of income adequacy that calculates how much income working adults need to meet their family’s basic needs without subsidies. While the FPL for one person is approximately $908 per month, the self-sufficiency standard for a single person in Orange County is $2,681 per month.

Income from government sources is excluded from this calculation because the HHS Federal Poverty Levels do not consider non-cash government benefits (such as Food Stamps or housing subsidies) as income when determining the poverty levels for each fiscal year.

13

As shown previously, a lack of income – whether from the loss of a job, being unable to find a job, or due to other reasons – has a great impact on people becoming homeless in Orange County. While some respondents were able to earn income from employment, others were receiving income from sources such as public assistance or disability benefits. However, many respondents were receiving little or no income from either government or private sources.

12 United States Department of Health and Human Services, Federal Register, Vol. 76, No. 13, 2011 HHS Poverty Guidelines January 20, 2011, p. 3637-3638. 13 Wider Opportunities for Women and Californians for Family Economic Self-Sufficiency (CFESS) and Equal Rights Advocates, 2009.

25.8%

32.7%

46.2%

70.7%

75.3%

27.4%

23.8%

50.1%

64.9%

58.7%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Bad credit

No transportation

No money for moving costs

Can't afford rent

No job/no income 2009 2011



Employment Status

76% of respondents indicated that they were unemployed at the time of the survey in 2011.

» In comparison, the unemployment rate for the overall population of Orange County was 9% during February 2011.14

Figure 18: Employment Status of Respondents, 2011

N: 2011=790. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey. Note: New response options were added in 2011; therefore, 2009 data is not comparable.

14 State of California Employment Development Department, Labor Market Information Division, 2011.

0.0%

0.5%

6.0%

8.0%

1.5%

0.5%

0.0%

13.4%

70.1%

0.3%

2.7%

1.5%

1.0%

3.6%

5.1%

5.9%

1.4%

78.4%

0.3%

2.2%

2.7%

2.8%

3.0%

3.9%

4.4%

4.4%

76.3%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Migrant worker

Seasonal/temporary worker

Employed part-time

Student

Self-employed

Retired

Day laborer

Employed full-time

Unemployed

2011 Overall

2011 Unsheltered

2011 Sheltered



Barriers to Employment

43% of unemployed respondents cited not having transportation as a barrier to employment in 2011.

Figure 19: Barriers that Were Keeping Unemployed Respondents from Getting Employment, 2011 (Top 5 Responses)

N: 2011=Multiple response question with 578 respondents offering 2,348 responses. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey. Note: These responses were not mutually exclusive. Note: This question was rephrased in 2011; therefore, 2009 data is not comparable. Income

The percentage of respondents who indicated that they were receiving money from government benefits increased from 39% in 2009 to 53% in 2011.

The percentage of respondents who indicated that they were receiving money from private, non-government sources decreased from 63% in 2009 to 47% in 2011.

21% of 2011 respondents reported having no income whatsoever.

Figure 20: Total Monthly Income from All Government Benefits (County, State, or Federal Monies)


37.7%

39.6%

40.1%

40.1%

42.6%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

No permanent address

Need clothing

No jobs

No phone

No transportation

61.4%

5.4% 9.7% 5.5% 13.5%

4.6%

47.4%

1.4%

24.5% 7.9% 13.8%

5.0% 0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

$0 $1-$150 $151-250 $251-500 $501-$1,000 > $1,000

2009 2011



Figure 21: Total Monthly Income from All Non-Government Sources (Job, Panhandling, Recycling, etc.)


Disabling Conditions For the purposes of this study, a disabling condition was defined as a physical or developmental disability, mental illness, severe depression,15 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, chronic health problems, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis C, or substance abuse.16

Between 2009 and 2011, the percentage of survey respondents with one or more self-defined disabling condition decreased from 99% to 57%.

17

» The existence of a disabling condition is one of the components used to determine whether a person or family can be considered chronically homeless (see Chronic Homelessness section).

15 Severe depression includes those who reported that they were experiencing depression and that their depression prevents them from getting work or housing. 16 In 2011, two new disabling conditions were included (Tuberculosis and Hepatitis C) and the depression disabling condition was adjusted to include severe depression only (those who reported that they were experiencing depression and that their depression prevents them from getting work or housing). 17 In 2011, two new disabling conditions were included (Tuberculosis and Hepatitis C) and the depression disabling condition was adjusted to include severe depression only (those who reported that they were experiencing depression and that their depression prevents them from getting work or housing).

37.5% 22.4%

9.1% 11.3% 8.9% 10.7%

52.6%

19.5% 11.3% 7.9% 3.8% 4.9%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

$0 $1-$150 $151-250 $251-500 $501-$1,000 > $1,000

2009 2011



Figure 22: Number of Co-occurring Disabling Conditions Among All Homeless Respondents

N: 2009=787, 2011=794. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey. Physical and Developmental Disabilities

Between 2009 and 2011, the percentage of respondents with a physical disability decreased (from 28% to 24%), while the percentage of respondents with a developmental disability stayed the same (at 9%).

» Of respondents who reported having a physical disability in 2011, 83% indicated that their physical disability prevents them from getting work or housing.

» Of respondents with a developmental disability in 2011, 94% indicated that their developmental disability prevents them from getting work or housing.

Figure 23: Percentage of Respondents Who Were Currently Experiencing a Physical or Developmental Disability

2009 N: Physical disability=767, developmental Disability=764. 2011 N: Physical disability=741, developmental Disability=736. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey. Note: These responses were not mutually exclusive.

1.1% 2.8%

28.5% 22.2% 18.4% 14.1% 12.8%

42.6%

20.2% 13.9% 9.3% 4.5% 4.2% 5.4% 0%

20% 40% 60% 80%

100%

None One Two Three Four Five Six or more

2009 2011

27.6% 8.5%

23.8% 9.0%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

100%

Physical disability Developmental disability 2009 2011



Mental Health

National studies have found that a disproportionate number of homeless persons suffer from some form of mental illness.18

Between 2009 and 2011, the percentage of respondents who reported experiencing a mental illness decreased (from 26% to 20%) and the percentage of respondents who reported experiencing depression also decreased (from 51% to 42%).

The 2011 homeless survey asked survey respondents about their mental health, including mental illness and depression.

» In 2011, 21% of respondents reported experiencing severe depression. 19

» Of respondents who reported experiencing a mental illness in 2011, 79% indicated that their mental illness prevents them from getting work or housing.

» Of respondents who reported experiencing depression in 2011, 53% indicated that their depression prevents them from getting work or housing.

30% of respondents reported experiencing mental illness and/or severe depression in 2011.

Figure 24: Percentage of Respondents Who Were Currently Experiencing a Mental Illness or Depression

2009 N: Mental illness=769, Depression=768. 2011 N: Mental illness=729, Depression=765. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey. Note: These responses were not mutually exclusive. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

PTSD is an anxiety disorder that can occur following the experience or witnessing of a traumatic event. A traumatic event is a life-threatening event such as military combat, natural disasters, terrorist incidents, serious accidents, or physical or sexual assault in adulthood or childhood.20

18 National Coalition for the Homeless, Mental Illness and Homelessness Factsheet, retrieved on May 20, 2009 at http://www.issuelab.org/research/mental_illness_and_homelessness_2008.

19 Severe depression includes those who reported that they were experiencing depression, and that their depression prevents them from getting work or housing.

26.1%

51.3%

20.2%

42.4%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

100%

Mental illness Depression 2009 2011



Between 2009 and 2011, the percentage of respondents who reported experiencing PTSD increased very slightly from 15% to 16%.

» Of respondents who reported experiencing PTSD in 2011, 64% indicated that their disorder prevents them from getting work or housing.

Chronic Health Problems

In 2009 and 2011, the same percentage of respondents (25%) reported experiencing chronic health problems.

» Of respondents who reported experiencing chronic health problems in 2011, 76% indicated that their chronic health problems prevent them from getting work or housing.

HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Hepatitis C

In 2009 and 2011, the same percentage of respondents (1%) reported experiencing HIV/AIDS-related illnesses (7 of 762 respondents in 2009 and 9 of 735 respondents in 2011).

» Of the 9 respondents who reported experiencing HIV/AIDS in 2011, 6 respondents indicated that their HIV/AIDS-related issues prevent them from getting work or housing. 21

In 2011, 8 respondents (1%) reported experiencing Tuberculosis and 76 respondents (10%) reported experiencing Hepatitis C.

22

» Of the 8 respondents who reported experiencing Tuberculosis in 2011, 4 respondents indicated that their Tuberculosis-related issues prevent them from getting work or housing.

» Of the 76 respondents who reported experiencing Hepatitis C in 2011, 15 respondents indicated that their Hepatitis C-related issues prevent them from getting work or housing.

20 National Center for PTSD, Fact Sheet, retrieved on April 10, 2009 from http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/ncdocs/fact_shts/fs_what_is_ptsd.html. 21 This question was added in 2011; therefore 2009 data is not available. 22 This question was added in 2011; therefore 2009 data is not available.



Figure 25: Percentage of Respondents Who Were Currently Experiencing HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, or Hepatitis C

2009 N: HIV/AIDS=762, Tuberculosis=NA, Hepatitis C=NA. 2011 N: HIV/AIDS=735, Tuberculosis=727, Hepatitis C=740. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey. Note: These responses were not mutually exclusive. * Tuberculosis and Hepatitis C were added in 2011; therefore 2009 data is not available. Substance Abuse

Between 2009 and 2011, the percentage of respondents who were experiencing substance abuse decreased from 38% to 33%.

» Of respondents who reported experiencing substance abuse in 2011, 69% indicated that their substance abuse problems prevent them from getting work or housing.

Disabling Conditions Among Respondents’ Spouse, Significant Other, or Parent

Figure 26: Of Respondents Living with a Spouse, Significant Other, or Parent, Percentage Whose Spouse, Significant Other, or Parent Has the Following Disabling Conditions that Prevent Them from Maintaining Work or Housing, 2011

N: 2011=Multiple response question with 48 respondents offering 63 responses. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey. Note: These responses were not mutually exclusive. Note: This question was added in 2011; therefore, 2009 data is not available.

0.9% 1.2% 1.1%

10.3%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

HIV/AIDS Tuberculosis Hepatitis C

2009 2011

0.0%

6.3%

14.6%

16.7%

25.0%

25.0%

43.8%

0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

HIV/AIDS

Developmental disability

PTSD

Mental illneses

Substance addition

Disabling physical condition

None

NA* NA*



Incarceration The transition from prison to society, or from foster care to a state of independence, can be a difficult one. Survey results indicate that some homeless people are struggling with these transition issues. Nights in Jail or Prison

31% of homeless respondents reported that they had spent at least one night in jail or prison in the year prior to the survey, which is a decrease from 34% in 2009.

Figure 27: Number of Nights Respondents Reported Spending in Jail/Prison in the Year Prior to the Survey

N: 2009=774, 2011=777. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey. Transition from Jail or Prison

5% of respondents indicated that immediately before they became homeless, they were in jail or prison, a slight decrease from 7% in 2009.

Foster Care 11% of respondents indicated in 2011 that they had been in foster care at least once in their

lifetime, compared to 15% in 2009.

» In 2011, a slightly greater percentage of sheltered respondents indicated having been in foster care at least once in their lifetime, compared to unsheltered respondents (12% and 10%, respectively).

Domestic/Partner Violence or Abuse Between 2009 and 2011, the percentage of respondents who were experiencing domestic/partner

violence or abuse at the time of survey increased slightly from 8% to 10%.

» In 2011, 49% of respondents who were currently experiencing domestic/partner violence or abuse reported that it prevents them from getting work or housing.

66.1%

8.0% 4.3% 3.4% 4.1% 14.1%

69.1%

12.5% 2.6% 1.5% 4.6% 9.7%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

0 nights 1-5 nights 6-10 nights 11-20 nights 21-50 nights > 50 nights

2009 2011



Figure 28: Respondents Who Were Experiencing Domestic/Partner Violence or Abuse (By Gender)

2009 N: Total=756, Male=455, Female=292. 2011 N: Total=745, Male=463, Female=277. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey.

Access to Assistance/Services, Homeless Programs, and Medical Care Access to Government Assistance

Government assistance and homeless programs work to enable the homeless community to obtain income and services. However, many homeless people do not apply for these programs, or do not feel they qualify for aid.

Between 2009 and 2011, the percentage of respondents who reported that they were receiving some form of government assistance23

» Of those respondents receiving some form of government assistance, Food Stamps was the most commonly cited form of government assistance that respondents reported receiving in both 2009 and 2011 (48% and 73%, respectively).

increased from 57% to 63%.

» Of those not receiving assistance, 28% did not think they were eligible. This is compared to 33% of 2009 respondents.

23 For the purposes of this study, the following forms of government assistance were included: General Assistance, Food Stamps, Medi-Cal/Medi-Care, Veteran’s Benefits, WIC (Women, Infants, and Children), Social Security, MSI (Medical Services Initiative), SSI (Supplemental Security Income)/SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance), Cash Aid/CalWORKS, VA (Veteran Affairs) Disability Compensation, and other governmental assistance (State disability benefits, workers compensation, unemployment, etc.).

7.8% 5.5% 11.6% 9.5% 3.0% 20.2%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

100%

Total Male Female 2009 2011



Figure 29: Of Those Respondents Receiving Some Form of Government Assistance, Types of Assistance Received (Top 5 Responses in 2011)

N: 2009=Multiple response question with 377 respondents offering 643 responses; 2011=Multiple response question with 488 respondents offering 829 responses. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey. Note: These responses were not mutually exclusive. Figure 30: Reasons for Not Receiving Government Assistance (Top 7 Responses in 2011)

N: 2009=Multiple response question with 391 respondents offering 649 responses; 2011=Multiple response question with 288 respondents offering 490 responses. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey. Note: These responses were not mutually exclusive.

9.6%

13.1%

15.0%

24.6%

73.2%

11.7%

11.9%

23.1%

27.6%

48.3%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

General Assistance

Cash Aid/CalWORKS

MSI (Medical Services Initiative)

Medi-Cal/Medi-Care

Food Stamps 2009

2011

16.0%

16.0%

16.0%

16.3%

18.8%

27.1%

27.8%

9.0%

10.5%

12.3%

16.9%

14.3%

17.9%

32.7%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Will apply soon

No transportation

Have no identification

Turned down

No permanent address

Never applied

Don't think I'm eligible 2009

2011



Access to Services and Programs

Between 2009 and 2011, the percentage of respondents who were utilizing any services or assistance24

» Of those respondents utilizing services/assistance, free meals was the most commonly cited type of service/assistance respondents reported utilizing in both 2009 and 2011 (79% and 80%, respectively).

decreased slightly from 89% to 85%.

Figure 31: Of Those Respondents Utilizing Any Services or Assistance, Types of Services or

Assistance Utilized (Top 5 Responses in 2011)

N: 2009=Multiple response question with 686 respondents offering 1,645 responses; 2011=Multiple response question with 671 respondents offering 1,517 responses. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey. Note: These responses were not mutually exclusive. Access to Shelters

14% of respondents indicated that they had tried to stay at a shelter or transitional housing facility in Orange County in the 30 days prior to the survey, but were turned away. This is virtually the same percentage as in 2009 (13%).

» In 2011, 13% of respondents indicated having tried to stay at a shelter in Orange County in the 30 days prior to the survey, but were turned away, while 2% reported having tried to stay at a transitional housing facility but were turned away.

24 For the purposes of this study, the following services/types of assistance were included: emergency shelter, free meals, bus passes, job training, alcohol/drug counseling, shelter day services, legal assistance, health services, mental health services, and other services/types of assistance.

16.8%

22.8%

30.7%

35.9%

79.7%

23.0%

13.7%

31.8%

31.5%

78.6%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Health services

Shelter day services

Emergency shelter

Bus passes

Free meals

2009

2011



From 2009 to 2011, the percentage of respondents who either had not been turned away from, or had not sought, any kind of shelter in the past 30 days stayed virtually the same (87% and 86%, respectively).

» Of those who were turned away, a lack of available beds was most commonly cited as the reason for being denied admittance to the shelter (60%), followed by alcohol/drug problems (21%).25

Figure 32: In the Last 30 Days, Have You Ever Tried to Stay at a Shelter or Transitional Housing Program in Orange County and Been Turned Away?

N: 2009=Multiple response question with 783 respondents offering 783 responses. 2011=Multiple response question with 794 respondents offering 797 responses. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey. Figure 33: Of Respondents Who Tried to Stay at a Shelter or Transitional Housing Facility in the

Month Prior to the Survey and Were Turned Away, Reasons They Were Turned Away (Top 5 Responses in 2011)

N: 2009=Multiple response question with 91 respondents offering 155 responses; 2011=Multiple response question with 105 respondents offering 174 responses. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey. Note: These responses were not mutually exclusive.


11.1% 1.7%

87.2%

12.7% 2.0%

85.6%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

100%

Yes, a shelter Yes, a transitional housing program No

2009 2011

9.5%

14.3%

16.2%

21.0%

60.0%

11.0%

15.4%

9.9%

11.0%

47.3%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Don't like the religious service

Couldn't follow shelter rules

Because you smoke

Alcohol/drug problems

No beds available 2009

2011



Access to Food

The percentage of respondents who reported that they do not usually get enough to eat on a daily basis doubled between 2009 and 2011, increasing from 5% to 10%.

Figure 34: Do You Usually Get Enough to Eat on a Daily Basis?

N: 2009=771, 2011=785. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey. Access to Medical Care

Access to health care is vital to general well-being. While many Orange County residents struggle with the high costs of health care, homeless residents are particularly vulnerable to many unique challenges regarding their health.

21% of respondents reported that since they most recently became homeless, they have needed medical care but been unable to receive it, which is a decrease from 28% in 2009.

The most commonly cited usual source of medical care among respondents was the hospital emergency room (46%), followed by a free/community clinic (18%) and a private doctor (10%).

21% indicated in 2011 that they had used the emergency room three or more times in the last 12 months for any treatment, compared to 20% in 2009.

Between 2009 and 2011, the percentage of respondents who reported that they usually receive adequate medical care increased from 76% to 82%.

71.3%

23.5% 5.2%

69.8%

20.4% 9.8%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

100%

Yes Sometimes No

2009 2011



Figure 35: Respondents’ Usual Source of Medical Care (Top 5 Responses)

N: 2009=780, 2011=786. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey. Figure 36: Number of Times Respondents Used the Emergency Room for Any Treatment in the

Last 12 Months


Use of Technology 42% of respondents reported that they have a working cell phone.

32% reported that they use the internet at least once a week.

7.1%

7.8%

10.4%

17.8%

46.2%

7.9%

7.8%

14.2%

23.1%

41.2%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Don't ever go

VA hospital/clinic

Private doctor

Free/community clinic

Hospital emergency room 2009

2011

50.3%

19.1% 11.1% 6.2% 3.6% 1.4% 8.3%

50.1%

17.3% 11.9% 8.5% 4.2% 2.2% 5.8% 0%

20% 40% 60% 80%

100%

Never 1 time 2 times 3 times 4 times 5 times > 5 times

2009 2011



Figure 37: Frequency of Internet Usage, 2011

N=785. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey.

33.9% 31.6%

5.1%

29.4%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Never At least once a week At least once a month Sometimes

2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey HUD-Defined Homeless Subpopulations


HUD-DEFINED HOMELESS SUBPOPULATIONS

HUD-Defined Homeless Subpopulations 2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey




HUD-DEFINED HOMELESS SUBPOPULATIONS The following section focuses special attention on specific subpopulations, including: chronically homeless persons and families, homeless veterans, homeless families, and unaccompanied homeless children and youth. These groups have been identified by the federal government as populations of particular interest in the 2011 point-in-time homeless count.

The following table breaks down the homeless count data into subpopulations. These data are based on both the homeless count and data from the homeless survey. Lines 1-6 of the following chart are estimates calculated by applying the survey results to the point-in-time homeless count population.

Figure 38: Homeless Subpopulation Estimates

Homeless Subpopulations

Sheltered Unsheltered Total

2009 2011 Net

Change Percent Change 2009 2011

Net Change

Percent Change 2009 2011

Net Change

Percent Change

1. Chronically homeless

1a. Chronically homeless persons 205* 66* -139 -67.8% 3,578 1,585 -1,993 -55.7% 3,783 1,651 -2,132 -56.4% 1b. Chronically homeless families (total persons in household) NA** 15* NA NA NA** 4* NA NA NA** 19 NA NA

2. Veterans 178 96 -82 -46.1% 1,104 760 -344 -31.2% 1,282 856 -426 -33.2%

3. Severely mentally ill*** 488 341 -147 -30.1% 1,904 1,414 -490 -25.7% 2,392 1,755 -637 -26.6%

4. Chronic substance abuse 392 292 -100 -25.5% 2,683 1,618 -1,065 -39.7% 3,075 1,910 -1,165 -37.9%

5. Persons with HIV/AIDS 7 16 9 128.6% 68 55 -13 -19.1% 75 71 -4 -5.3%

6. Victims of domestic violence 175 444 269 153.7% 475 303 -172 -36.2% 650 747 97 14.9%

7. Unaccompanied children (under 18 years of age) 125 41 -84 -67.2% 24 13 -11 -45.8% 149 54 -95 -63.8%

Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Census and Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Census and Survey. * “Sheltered” chronically homeless subpopulations include those in emergency shelters only. ** Chronic homeless families is a newly defined homeless subpopulation as of 2011; therefore, 2009 data is not available. *** In 2011, severe mental illness data are estimates based on survey respondents who reported experiencing mental illness and/or severe depression. Severe depression includes those who reported that they were experiencing depression, and that their depression prevents them from getting work or housing. Per HUD’s guidelines, these estimates exclude those who reported experiencing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).



Chronic Homelessness The mortality rate for chronically homeless men and women is four to nine times higher than for the general population and those experiencing long-term homelessness often incur significant public costs – through emergency room visits, run-ins with law enforcement, incarceration, and access to existing poverty and homeless programs.26 In 2011, the federal government announced a 5-year plan to end chronic homelessness. The plan focuses on permanent supportive housing, reducing financial instability, and improving heath and housing stability.27

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development defines a chronically homeless individual as:

An unaccompanied homeless individual (18 or older) with a disabling condition who:

» Has been living on the streets or in a place not meant for human habitation, an emergency shelter (not transitional housing), or a safe haven; and

» Has either been continually homeless for one year or more or experienced at least four episodes of homelessness in the past 3 years.

In 2011, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development also required that data on chronically homeless families be collected during the point-in-time count, which is defined as:

A family with at least one adult member (18 or older) who has a disabling condition and:

» Has been living on the streets or in a place not meant for human habitation, an emergency shelter (not transitional housing), or a safe haven; and

» Has either been continually homeless for one year or more or experienced at least four episodes of homelessness in the past 3 years.

As stated previously, for the purposes of this study, a disabling condition was defined as a physical or developmental disability, mental illness, severe depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, chronic health problems, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis C, or substance abuse. Number of Chronically Homeless Individuals and Families

It is estimated that on any given day in 2011, Orange County has approximately 1,651 chronically homeless persons. This represents a 56% decrease from 3,783 chronically homeless persons in 2009.

26 The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. (2011). Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness. Washington D.C. 27 United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Community Planning and Development, The 2009 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress, June 2010.



» This decrease is primarily due to the 17% decrease in the point-in-time count between 2009 and 2011 and the large decrease in the percentage of respondents who had a disabling condition.28

» The number of chronically homeless persons in 2011 represents 24% of the total point-in-time homeless population in Orange County. Nationally, 27% of all homeless individuals were chronically homeless in 2009 according to the 2009 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress report.

29

It is estimated that on any given day in 2011, there are 19 persons in 6 chronically homeless families in Orange County. This represents 1% of all persons in families (1,708) enumerated during the point-in-time count.

Figure 39: Chronically Homeless Subpopulations

2009 2011 09-11


Chronically homeless individuals 3,783 100.0% 1,651 100.0% -2,132 -56.4% Sheltered* 205 5.4% 66 4.0% -139 -67.8% Unsheltered 3,578 94.6% 1,585 96.0% -1,993 -55.7% Chronically homeless families (family units) NA NA 6 100.0% NA NA Sheltered* NA NA 5 83.3% NA NA Unsheltered NA NA 1 16.7% NA NA Chronically homeless families (persons in families) NA NA 19 100.0% NA NA Sheltered* NA NA 15 78.9% NA NA Unsheltered NA NA 4 21.1% NA NA

Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Census and Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Census and Survey. * “Sheltered” chronically homeless subpopulations include those in emergency shelters only. Profile of Chronically Homeless Respondents

Of chronically homeless respondents in 2011, 75% were male.

78% were over the age of 40.

The largest racial/ethnic group among chronically homeless respondents in 2011 was White/Caucasian (70%), followed by Hispanic/Latino (16%) and Black/African American (11%).

28 In 2011, two new disabling conditions were included (Tuberculosis and Hepatitis C) and the depression disabling condition was adjusted to include severe depression only (those who reported that they were experiencing depression and that their depression prevents them from getting work or housing). 29 United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Community Planning and Development, The 2009 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress, June 2010.



62% indicated that they usually sleep outdoors, on the streets, in parks, or in encampments at night, while 12% reported usually staying in an emergency or another type of shelter (other than transitional housing).

The percentage of chronically homeless respondents who had only one disabling condition increased from 3% in 2009 to 34% in 2011.

» The percentage with three or more co-occurring disabling conditions decreased from 74% to 43% during the same time period.

The percentage of chronically homeless respondents who indicated that they were utilizing any services/assistance decreased from 90% in 2009 to 84% in 2011.

» Of those who were utilizing any services/assistance, the top five services utilized by chronically homeless respondents in 2011 were free meals (91%), bus passes (35%), emergency shelter (29%), shelter day services (21%), and health services (20%).30

Homeless Veterans

National data shows that only 8% of the general U.S. population can claim veteran status, but nearly one-fifth of the homeless population are veterans.31

In general, veterans have high rates of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, traumatic brain injury, and sexual trauma, which can lead to higher risk for homelessness. About half of homeless veterans have serious mental illness and 70% have substance abuse problems. Half of homeless veterans have histories of involvement with the legal system. Veterans are more likely to live outdoors—unsheltered—and experience long-term, chronic homelessness.

32

The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness is facilitating collaborative efforts by the United States Departments of Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, Labor, and Health and Human Services to align resources for greater effectiveness by bringing together programs that would otherwise operate separately. The year 2011 was the first year the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will use the national HUD point-in-time counts as the definitive count of homeless veterans. In 2011, the VA recommended two questions to determine veteran status:

Have you ever served in the U.S. Armed Forces?

Were you activated into active duty, as a member of the National Guard or as a reservist?

Those who have served on active duty in the United States Armed Forces are determined to have veteran status. This does not include inactive military reserves or the National Guard unless the person was called into active duty.

30 These responses were not mutually exclusive. 31 National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, Facts and Media: Background and Statistics, retrieved January 13, 2011, from http://www.nchv.org/background.cfm. 32 The United States Interagency Council on Ending Homelessness. (2010). Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness. Retrieved January 13, 2011, from http://www.usich.gov/PDF/FactSheetVeterans.pdf.



Number of Homeless Veterans

It is estimated that on any given day in 2011, Orange County has a homeless veteran population of approximately 856 persons.

» This represents 12% of the total point-in-time homeless population. In 2009, the number of homeless veterans estimated (1,282) represented 15% of the total 2009 point-in-time homeless population.

Figure 40: Homeless Veteran Subpopulation

2009 2011 09-11


Sheltered 178 13.9% 96 11.2% -82 -46.1% Unsheltered 1,104 86.1% 760 88.8% -344 -31.2% Total number of homeless veterans 1,282 100.0% 856 100.0% -426 -33.2%

Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Census and Survey. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Census and Survey. Profile of Homeless Veterans

Of homeless veteran respondents in 2011, 96% were male.

86% were over the age of 40.

The largest racial/ethnic group among homeless veteran respondents in 2011 was White/Caucasian (65%), followed by Black/African American (21%) and Hispanic/Latino (8%).

43% of homeless veteran respondents cited job loss as the primary cause of their homelessness, while 11% cited alcohol/drug use.

55% indicated that they usually sleep outdoors, on the streets, in parks, or in encampments at night, while 24% reported usually staying in automobiles, vans, campers, or RVs.

28% of homeless veteran respondents had no disabling condition.

» 12% had one disabling condition, 17% had two co-occurring disabling conditions, and 43% had three or more co-occurring disabling conditions.

41% of homeless veteran respondents were chronically homeless.

52% of veteran respondents indicated that they receive veterans services or benefits.

» Of veteran respondents receiving veterans services/benefits, the most commonly cited type of services/benefits was health benefits, followed by VA pension benefits.



Figure 41: Of Veteran Respondents Receiving Veterans Services/Assistance, Type of Veterans Services/Assistance Received, 2011

N: 2011=Multiple response question with 58 respondents offering 74 responses. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey. Note: These responses were not mutually exclusive. Note: This question was added in 2011; therefore, 2009 data is not available.

Homeless Families National reports reveal that one of the fastest growing segments of the homeless population is families with children. Families, single mothers, and children make up the largest group of people who are homeless in rural areas.33 Children in families experiencing homelessness have high rates of acute and chronic health problems and many have been exposed to violence. Homeless children are more likely to have emotional and behavioral problems than children with consistent living accommodations.34

Number of Homeless Families with Children

It is difficult to obtain an accurate count of the number of homeless families and unaccompanied children who are unsheltered. Homeless families and children often seek opportunities to stay on private property, where they are more protected and less visible to the community.

Data from the homeless census showed that a total of 574 homeless families with children under age 18 (7 unsheltered and 567 sheltered) were identified during the 2011 point-in-time count.

Between 2009 and 2011, the number of homeless persons in families increased by 24% from 1,377 to 1,708 persons.

33 Vissing, Y. M. (1996). Out of sight, out of mind: Homeless children and families in small-town America. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky. 34 The United States Interagency Council on Ending Homelessness. (2010). Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness. Retrieved March 2011 from www.usich.gov.

5.2%

8.6%

8.6%

22.4%

25.9%

56.9%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Education benefits

Drop-in center

Supported housing

Disability benefits

VA pension benefits

Health benefits



Figure 42: Homeless Families with Children Subpopulation

2009 2011 09-11


Family units (number of families) 481 100.0% 574 100.0% 93 19.3% Sheltered 454 94.4% 567 98.8% 113 24.9% Unsheltered 27 5.6% 7 1.2% -20 -74.1% Persons in families 1,377 100.0% 1,708 100.0% 331 24.0% Sheltered 1,296 94.1% 1,686 98.7% 390 30.1% Unsheltered 81 5.9% 22 1.3% -59 -72.8%

Source: Applied Survey Research. (2009). 2009 Orange County Homeless Census. Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Census. Profile of Homeless Respondents with Children

From 2009 to 2011, the percentage of survey respondents who indicated that they had children (of any age) increased from 34% to 49%.

Of respondents with children (of any age) in 2011:35

» 29% reported that their children were currently living with them,

» 34% reported that they had one or more children living with family/friends, and

» 5% reported that they had one or more children in foster care.

Of respondents whose children were living with them, 88% said that their children have health insurance.

98% of respondents with school-aged children (ages 5-16) indicated that their children in this age group were in school.

96% of homeless respondents with children were female.

The largest percentage of respondents with children indicated they were White/Caucasian (43%), followed by Hispanic/Latino (26%), Black/African American (14%).

58% of respondents with children indicated that this was their first time being homeless.

60% were living in a home owned by them/their partner or in a rented home/apartment immediately prior to becoming homeless.

The largest percentage cited family/domestic violence as the primary cause of their homelessness (34%), followed by alcohol or drug use (19%) and job loss (18%).

9% were not receiving any form of government assistance.36


36 For the purposes of this study, the following forms of government assistance were included: General Assistance, Food Stamps, Medi-Cal/Medi-Care, Veteran’s Benefits, WIC (Women, Infants, and Children), Social Security, MSI (Medical Services



Figure 43: Of Respondents with Children (Living with Them or Not), Percentage with Children in the Following Age Groups, 2011

N: 2011=Multiple response question with 391 respondents offering 516 responses. Source: Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Census. Note: These responses were not mutually exclusive. Note: This question was rephrased in 2011; therefore, 2009 data is not available.

Initiative), SSI (Supplemental Security Income)/SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance), Cash Aid/CalWORKS, VA (Veteran Affairs) Disability Compensation, and other governmental assistance (State disability benefits, workers compensation, unemployment, etc.).

26.6% 26.3% 20.2%

58.8%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

0-5 years old 6-12 years old 13-17 years old > 17 years old



Figure 44: Of Respondents with Children in the Following Age Groups, Number of Children They Have in those Age Groups

Age Group / Number of Children 2011 0-5 years old 100.0% 1 child 66.7% 2 children 26.3% 3 children 5.1% 4+ children 2.0% 6-12 years old 100.0% 1 child 66.3% 2 children 22.8% 3 children 7.9% 4+ children 3.0% 13-17 years old 100.0% 1 child 69.7% 2 children 22.4% 3 children 5.3% 4+ children 2.6% > 17 years old 100.0% 1 child 37.5% 2 children 36.6% 3 children 14.3% 4+ children 11.6%

N: 0-5 years old=99, 6-12 years old=101, 13-17 years old=76, > 17 years old=224. Source: Applied Survey Research, 2011 County of Orange Homeless Survey, 2011. Note: These responses were not mutually exclusive. Note: These questions were rephrased in 2011; therefore, 2009 data is not available.

Unaccompanied Homeless Children and Youth “Unaccompanied children” are children under the age of 18 who are homeless and living independent of a parent or legal guardian. Homeless youth are defined as individuals between the ages of 18-24 years old. Identifying and including unaccompanied homeless children and youth in the point-in-time count is challenging. Data on the population both locally and nationally is extremely limited. What little data is available suggest that the negative effects of homelessness on children are high and those experiencing homelessness face even greater challenges than their adult counterparts. They have a harder time accessing services, including shelter, medical care, and employment.37

37 National Coalition for the Homeless, Homeless Youth Fact Sheet, retrieved March 2011 from http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/index.html.



Number of Unaccompanied Homeless Children and Youth

Overall, 54 unaccompanied homeless children (under 18) and 215 unaccompanied homeless youth (18-24) were enumerated in the 2011 point-in-time count.38

» Of the unaccompanied children and youth counted, the large majority (85%) were unsheltered.

In total (269), this represents 4% of the total point-in-time homeless population.

Figure 45: Unaccompanied Homeless Children and Youth Subpopulations, 2011 Unsheltered Sheltered Total

Unaccompanied children < 18 13 41 54 Male 0 NA* 0 Female 0 NA* 0 Undetermined gender 13 41* 54

Unaccompanied youth 18-24 215 NA** 215 Male 179 NA** 179 Female 36 NA** 36 Undetermined gender 0 NA** 0

Total 228 41 269 Source: Applied Survey Research. (2011). 2011 Orange County Homeless Census. * During the shelter count, shelters were not asked to specify the gender of the children under 18 occupying their shelters. ** The homeless youth ages 18-24 years old reported in this table were enumerated during the street count. Data for this age group was not collected separately from the “adults over 18 years of age” category during the shelter count.

38 Data on sheltered unaccompanied homeless youth ages 18-24 years old is not available and is therefore not included in this count. During the shelter count, shelters were not required to report data for the 18-24 age group separately from adults over 18 years of age.

2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey Conclusion


CONCLUSION The 2011 Orange County Homeless Census and Survey were performed using HUD-recommended practices for counting and surveying the homeless population. The homeless count and survey provided valid and useful data which helped create a more comprehensive picture of those experiencing homelessness in Orange County in 2011. The 2011 point-in-time homeless count, however, should be considered conservative since it is well known that even with the most thorough methodology, many homeless individuals stay in locations where they cannot be seen or counted by enumeration teams. Further, many women, families, and youth try to remain hidden for safety.

These efforts also built upon the 2009 effort and began the compilation of comparable multi-year data on the experience of homelessness in Orange County. The continued use of the 2009 and 2011 methodology will allow Orange County to track key indicators and gauge the changing conditions experienced by homeless individuals and families throughout the County. The countywide estimate of the homeless population and the survey results representing the experiences of both sheltered and unsheltered homeless persons provide a baseline of data for the tracking of changes in size, composition, and well-being of Orange County’s homeless population over time. It is hoped that the data presented in this report will be used by planning bodies of Orange County and other agencies and organizations within the County to inform additional outreach, service planning, and policy decision-making over the next two years as they work to address homelessness. By sharing and evaluating this enumeration effort and results, the support network in Orange County will be better able to produce constructive and innovative solutions to a problem that impacts the lives of thousands of individuals and families every year and has serious ramifications for the long term public health of its citizens.

Conclusion 2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey


2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey Appendix I: Homeless Census and Survey Methodology


APPENDIX I: HOMELESS CENSUS & SURVEY METHODOLOGY Overview The purpose of the 2011 Orange County Homeless Census and Survey was to produce a point-in-time estimate of the number of people in Orange County who experience homelessness. The results of the street count were combined with the results from the shelter count to produce the total number of homeless people in Orange County. A more detailed description of the methodology used for the homeless census and survey follows.

Components of the Homeless Count Method

The census methodology had two components:

The street count – an enumeration of unsheltered homeless individuals.

The shelter count – an enumeration of sheltered homeless individuals.

Street Count Methodology Definition

For the purposes of this study, the HUD definition of an unsheltered homeless person was used: someone who is either living on the streets, or in a vehicle, encampment, abandoned building, unconverted garage, or any other place not normally used or meant for human habitation.

Research Design

Orange County covers approximately 798 square miles.39

Sample Selection

Given the resources available, the logistics for conducting a point-in-time street count of homeless people in a county this large and densely populated required the enumeration to take place on a sample basis. The unsheltered and sheltered homeless counts were coordinated to occur within the same time period in order to minimize the potential effect of duplicate counting. The purpose of the street count was to conduct an enumeration of unsheltered homeless people, in a sample of 150 of Orange County’s 577 census tracts, over a specific measure of time. The overall countywide unsheltered homeless population was then estimated from the data gathered in these 150 sampled tracts.

The success of a sample-based estimation depends heavily on the design and selection of the sample. A given sample size, set by budgetary and other resource constraints, can be made more efficient through the stratification of the population, informed by available knowledge - in this case, local knowledge of locations of homelessness. While a random sample would directly reflect the variability of tract-level

39 United States Census Bureau, State and County Quick Facts, 2009.

Appendix I: Homeless Census and Survey Methodology 2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey


homeless population counts, a stratified sample lends accuracy and precision to the estimation by recognizing that some tracts contain many homeless persons and others have few, if any. Grouping tracts with similar levels of homelessness together into strata, estimating the homeless population for each stratum based on sample data from a portion of those tracts, and then combining the stratum-level population estimates for an overall projected population increases the accuracy of the projection, because the variability in census tract-level homeless counts within a stratum is presumed to be considerably less than the variability in counts across the full spectrum of 577 tracts.

Applied Survey Research made the sample selection, in consultation with Dr. Don Ylvisaker and his statistics team at the University of California, Los Angeles, drawing on input from a cross-section of advisors who are knowledgeable about homelessness in Orange County, including homeless persons, homeless service providers, homeless outreach law enforcement officers, park staff, and homeless advocates. In all, 60 individuals provided input on “hot spots” for homelessness in Orange County, where enumeration teams would be likely to encounter homeless persons during the planned timeframe of the point-in-time count (i.e., a Saturday morning in January). Information on “cold spots” was also collected.

This input informed the stratification of the County’s census tracts into 3 strata composed of tracts that would likely produce large, moderate, and small tract-level homeless counts. Success in the stratification of the tracts, and hence the accuracy of the estimation, depended on the ability to categorize tracts by the number of homeless persons likely to be counted there on the morning of the point-in-time count, using local knowledge.

“Hot Spot” Identification

To inform the stratification of the County’s census tracts, “hot spot” identification interviews were conducted by ASR staff and local homeless outreach workers. The initial contact list for “hot spot” advisors was developed through the recommendations of the Orange County Point-in-Time Advisory Committee. Additional contacts were identified through a “snowball sampling” method of asking advisors for additional recommendations. As noted previously, the “hot spot” advisor group included homeless persons, homeless service providers, homeless outreach law enforcement officers, park staff, and homeless advocates. In all, 60 individuals (including currently or previously homeless persons) provided input on “hot spots” for homelessness in Orange County for the planned timeframe of the point-in-time count (i.e., a Saturday morning in January), compared to 97 individuals in 2009.

Advisors were asked to provide first-hand knowledge of specific locations where they had observed concentrations of homeless persons. Advisors identified locations where enumeration teams would be likely to encounter homeless persons, during the planned timeframe of the point-in-time count. Advisors were also asked to identify “cold spots” where the presence of homeless persons would be unlikely.

“Hot spots” which were overly broad in scope, or too vague to map accurately, were pinpointed to specific areas using information from other advisors, or eliminated. The census tract locations of “cold spots” were checked against the census tracts identified as containing “hot spots.” Identified “cold spots” that were overly broad in scope (e.g., encompassing an entire city), or that contained commercial or open-space / wilderness areas thought to be possible locations of homelessness, were eliminated. The “cold spots” were generally larger in geographic size, encompassing entire gated communities or neighborhoods. Due to the relatively limited scope of the “cold spot” input, these tracts remained in the pool of tracts about which the team received no information for possible inclusion in the sample.



All input provided was confidential. No information of particular locations of homelessness was shared outside of the sample selection team. The input was aggregated at the census tract level, for the purpose of selecting the sample of tracts to be enumerated during the count.

ASR then ranked the census tracts that had been identified as containing “hot spots” by taking the average number of people estimated by advisors as usually present at the “hot spot” during the planned timeframe of the point-in-time count. For tracts containing multiple “hot spots,” the average numbers of homeless persons per “hot spot” were aggregated for a tract-wide total.

Statistical Sampling

The list of “hot” tracts was reviewed by Dr. Ylvisaker and his statistics team. He assigned the minimum average number of homeless persons estimated in the tract, for final inclusion as a “hot” tract in the sample. The remaining tracts were re-designated as “warm” tracts. Tracts that had been identified as “cold” tracts, or for which no information was received, were designated as “cool” tracts. Again, the expectation was that the “hot” tracts would likely produce large counts of homeless persons, the “warm” tracts would likely produce moderate counts, and the “cool” tracts would likely produce small counts.

All 44 “hot” tracts were included in the sample. The remaining 106 tracts were selected in a two-tiered random sample. Two of every seven “warm” tracts were selected (16 in all), and one of every seven “cool” tracts were selected (91 in all). Sampling the “warm” tracts at twice the rate of the “cool” tracts was a judgment call made by the statistics team. Although the sample did not have specific quotas for each of the 4 geographical regions of Orange County identified by the advisors, the statistics team ensured that there was no sizable regional imbalance in the selection of tracts to be included in the sample.

Countywide Statistical Projection

The point-in-time data for the tracts included in the sample were submitted to the statistics team, along with the multipliers for the average number of persons living in cars, vans / RVs, encampments, and abandoned buildings, derived from survey responses. The process for projecting the point-in-time data for the tracts included in the sample to the entire County was as follows.

Because the “hot” stratum was enumerated in full, no projection was needed. The tract level counts, including the estimated number of persons in locations such as cars, vans / RVs, encampments, and abandoned buildings, were aggregated for the “hot” tracts stratum total.

For the “warm” and “cool” strata, mean values for tract-level homeless counts (including the estimated number of persons in the cars, vans / RVs, encampments, and abandoned buildings identified by enumeration teams) were calculated and applied to the “warm” and “cool” tracts that were not enumerated. The “warm” and “cool” strata totals were summed separately, and then aggregated with the “hot” stratum population to calculate the projected countywide total for all 577 census tracts in Orange County. The statistical projection for the countywide unsheltered homeless population was 6,939.

A margin of error was calculated due to the uncertainty of applying mean values across the “warm” and “cool” strata tracts, the uncertainty in estimating the number of cars, vans / RVs, encampments, and abandoned buildings occupied by homeless persons in the tracts not included in the sample, and the uncertainty in using the mean values found by the survey to estimate the number of persons occupying



cars, vans / RVs, encampments, and abandoned buildings. The margin of error in 2011 was 877, or 12.6%, at a 95% confidence level. In 2009, the margin of error was 1,088, or 13.1%, at a 95% confidence level.

Overall, the tract ratings (“hot,” “warm,” and “cool”) based on the advisors’ input were good predictors of the relative numbers of persons encountered by enumeration teams. However, there were some identified “hot” tracts for which enumeration teams reported lower numbers than expected. Conversely, some identified “cold” tracts had higher numbers than expected.

Volunteer and Worker Recruitment

An enumeration effort of this magnitude can only be successful with the assistance of those who possess an intimate knowledge of the activities and locations of homeless people. Therefore, the recruitment and training of homeless people to work as enumerators was an essential part of the street count methodology. Previous research has shown that homeless people, teamed with staff members from homeless service agencies, can be part of a productive and reliable work force.

To work on the street count, prospective enumerators were required to attend a one-hour information and training session. Seven training sessions were held at multiple locations throughout Orange County during the week prior to the street count. These sessions were attended by homeless persons, staff from homeless service agencies, and community volunteers. The techniques and methods used to identify and enumerate unsheltered homeless persons were reviewed during these training sessions.

Homeless persons who completed the required training session were paid $10.00 on the morning of the street count. Homeless guides were also paid $10.00 per hour for their work on the count, and were reimbursed for any expenses (mainly transportation costs) they incurred during the hours they worked. In all, 156 homeless persons, homeless service providers, and community volunteers were recruited and trained and participated on census day. Additional volunteers and homeless persons turned out on the day of the count to help in the enumeration effort, and received a brief training before they were deployed with their teams.

Street Count Teams

On the morning of the census, two-person teams were created to enumerate designated areas of the County for the street count. A team was ideally composed of one volunteer and one homeless person who had attended a training and information session. Given the expertise each team member brought to working in the field, the “volunteer/homeless guide” teamwork concept was especially beneficial for the street count.

Street count teams were provided with census tract maps of their assigned areas, census tally sheets, a review of the census training documents and techniques, and other supplies. Prior to deployment, volunteers and workers were provided with a reminder of how to enumerate thoroughly without disturbing homeless people or anyone else encountered during the street census. On the morning of the census, a sample of 150 census tracts in Orange County were enumerated.

Safety Precautions

Every effort was made to minimize potentially hazardous situations. Precautions were taken to prepare a safe environment in all deployment centers. Law enforcement districts were notified of pending street



count activity in their jurisdictions. No official reports were received in regards to unsafe or at-risk situations occurring during the street count in any area of the County.

Street Count Deployment

There were a total of six deployment centers on the morning of the count. The deployment centers were located in Westminster, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Capistrano Beach, Costa Mesa, and Lake Forest. The enumeration was conducted between the hours of 5:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. This early morning enumeration strategy was selected in order to avoid duplicate counting of sheltered homeless persons and to increase the visibility of the street homeless. No direct contact with enumerated homeless people was made during the street count as it was imperative to enumerate during the narrow timeframe when sheltered and unsheltered homeless do not co-mingle. Administering the survey in conjunction with the census would have taken up too much of this narrow timeframe, thereby increasing the likelihood of duplication between the street and sheltered homeless counts, and jeopardizing the accuracy of the census. Thus, visual observation-only enumeration strategies were employed during the census, and the survey component of this project began after the census was completed.

Volunteers used personal or agency vehicles to transport homeless guides and volunteers to and from assigned census tracts (although some homeless guides did provide their own transportation). All accessible streets, roads, and highways in the enumerated tracts were traveled by foot, bike, or car.

Homeless persons were counted and tallied according to these observed categories:

Unaccompanied Individuals: Family Members: Other: Adult ages 25 years and older (Male, Female, and Undetermined Gender) Adult Male Vehicles (cars, vans, RVs, campers,

etc.) Youth ages 18-24 years (Male, Female, and Undetermined Gender) Adult Female Abandoned Buildings

Children under age 18 (Male, Female, and Undetermined Gender) Children (under age 18) Encampments

People reported by park ranger

As noted in the above table, enumerators were tasked to categorized unaccompanied homeless individuals by gender (male, female, or undetermined) and age (under 18, 18-24, or 25 and older). This was done based on visual observation, which required the enumerators to work with their team members to best judge a homeless person’s gender and age based on the physical characteristics of the person which were visible to them. ASR recognizes that this method of identifying a homeless person’s gender and age is subjective and not 100% precise; however ASR also believes this task is not an extremely difficult one.

Upon their return, enumeration teams turned in their tally sheets and were debriefed by the deployment captains. Observational comments and the integrity of the enumeration effort were reviewed and assessed. This was done to check for double-counting (i.e. counting a family as family members and individuals) and to verify that every accessible road within the assigned area was enumerated. Homeless enumerators were also instructed to include themselves on their tally sheets for the street count, but only if they would not have been counted during a shelter or institutional count. When asked about the level of difficulty of categorizing the homeless individuals they enumerated by gender and age, enumerators expressed that



doing so was not at all challenging. Homeless enumerators were also instructed to include themselves on their tally sheets for the street count, if they were not going to be counted by a shelter census.

Although any homeless enumeration is vulnerable to an undercount, all of the people, vehicles, encampments, and abandoned buildings tallied during the point-in-time street count were visually observed by enumerators. By reporting only what was observed, ASR is highly confident that the street count results are as accurate and as valid as possible. There are no means to ensure that those enumerated were actually members of the homeless population. However, when potential enumerators were polled during the training sessions, most trainees, especially homeless workers, indicated they would have no difficulty in telling the difference between an unsheltered homeless person and a member of the general public.

Shelter Count Methodology Goal

The goal of the shelter count was to gain an accurate count of the number of homeless persons who were being temporarily housed in shelters across Orange County. These data were vital to gaining an accurate overall count of the homeless population and understanding where homeless persons received shelter.

Data Collection

The basic approach was to identify and contact as many agencies as possible that temporarily house homeless people and request that those agencies send ASR a count of the number of homeless persons housed in their programs on the night of January 21, 2011. The support and participation of a broad range of agencies, both public and private, was needed to complete the shelter and institution count. These agencies included:

Shelters (emergency shelters and transitional housing programs), and

Agencies that house homeless people in voucher hotels and other agencies.

These institution types were included in the count because they were most likely to temporarily house persons who were homeless.

The shelter count began by first identifying and collecting contact information for all agencies that provide temporary shelter to homeless people in Orange County. Shelter facilities reported their occupancies for the night prior to the second day of enumeration to Applied Survey Research via an online survey.

Homeless Census Challenges and Assumptions Challenges

There are many challenges in any homeless enumeration, especially when implemented in a community as diverse and large as Orange County. While homeless populations are usually concentrated around city emergency shelters and homeless service facilities, homeless individuals and families can also be found in suburbs, commercial districts, and outlying county areas that are not easily accessible by enumerators. Homeless populations include numerous difficult-to-enumerate subsets such as:



Chronically homeless persons who may or may not access social, health, or shelter services,

Persons living in vehicles who relocate every few days,

Persons who have children and therefore stay “under the radar” for fear of having to turn their children over to Child Protective Services,

Homeless youth, who tend to keep themselves less visible than homeless adults,

Homeless people who live in isolated rural areas, and

Homeless people who sleep in unfit structures. Census Undercount

For a variety of reasons, homeless persons generally do not want to be seen, and make concerted efforts to avoid detection. Regardless of how successful the outreach effort is, an undercount of the homeless population will result, especially of hard-to-reach subpopulations such as unaccompanied children and families.

In a non-intrusive, point-in-time, visual homeless enumeration, the methods employed, while academically sound, have inherent biases and shortcomings. Even with the assistance of dedicated homeless service providers and currently or previously homeless census enumerators, the methodology cannot guarantee 100% accuracy. Many factors may contribute to missed opportunities, for example:

Homeless individuals often occupy abandoned buildings and other structures unfit for human habitation.

Homeless youth are suspected to keep a distance from the general homeless population, for their own safety.

Homeless families with children often seek opportunities to stay on private property, rather than sleep on the streets, in vehicles, or makeshift shelters.

It can be difficult to identify homeless persons who may be sleeping in vans, cars, or recreational vehicles.

By counting the minimum number of homeless persons on the streets at a given point-in-time, the homeless census methodology is conservative and therefore most likely results in an undercount of homeless persons with immigration issues, some of the working homeless, families, and street youth. This conservative approach is necessary to preserve the integrity of the data collected. Even though the census is most likely to be an undercount of the homeless population, the methodology employed, coupled with the homeless survey, is the most comprehensive approach available.

Assumptions of Annual Estimation

The calculations used to project an annual estimate of homelessness are based on two very important assumptions.

The information gathered by the homeless survey is indicative of responses that would have been given at any other time during the year and is representative of the general diversity of the study area’s homeless population.



The point-in-time census count is reasonably indicative of a count that would have been obtained at any other time during the year.

In Orange County, there is some variation in ethnicity and potentially the number of homeless individuals over the year, as there are many more migrant workers during the harvest season. Because of this, there is an argument to be made to conduct the homeless census in the fall, but the County has to comply with the national requirements to conduct the count in January.

Estimates of the number of people who experience homelessness in a given year are important for planning purposes and HUD reporting requirements. Because many homeless experiences are relatively short-term (i.e., less than a year), it is important to account for this phenomenon when determining the annual demand for homeless services.

Given the size of the survey sample (794 persons), the statistical reliability of the projections, the undercount inherent in any homeless census, as well as the use of a HUD-approved annualization calculation, the project committee and Applied Survey Research have determined that this methodology was the most complete and accurate of all available approaches.

Survey Methodology Planning and Implementation

The survey of 794 homeless persons was conducted in order to yield qualitative data about the homeless community in Orange County. These data were used for the McKinney-Vento Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance funding application and are important for future program development and planning. The survey elicited information such as gender, family status, military service, length and recurrence of homelessness, usual nighttime accommodations, causes of homelessness, and access to services through open-ended, closed-ended, and multiple response questions. The survey data bring greater perspective to current issues of homelessness and to the provision and delivery of services. The survey findings also provide a measure of the changes in the composition of the homeless population since 2009, since the majority of the questions were asked in both 2009 and 2011.

Surveys were conducted by homeless workers and service provider volunteers who were trained by Applied Survey Research. Training sessions led potential interviewers through a comprehensive orientation that included project background information and detailed instruction on respondent eligibility, interviewing protocol, and confidentiality. Because of confidentiality and privacy issues, service providers typically conducted the surveys administered within shelters. No self-administered surveys were accepted in order to maintain a standardized and consistent protocol. Homeless workers were compensated at a rate of $5.00 per completed survey.

It was determined that survey data would be more easily collected if an incentive gift was offered to respondents in appreciation for their time and participation. A hygiene kit was selected as an incentive to participate in the survey. These kits were easy to obtain and distribute, were thought to have wide appeal, and could be provided within the project budget. This approach enabled surveys to be conducted at anytime during the day. The gift proved to be a great incentive and was widely accepted among survey respondents.



Survey Sampling

In order to select a random sample of respondents, survey workers were trained to employ a randomized “every third encounter” survey approach. Survey workers were instructed to approach the third person they encountered whom they considered to be an eligible survey respondent.40

The survey workers also maintained a record of the number of individuals who refused to take the survey (refusals). Overall, the majority (86%) of surveys were completed without receiving any refusals. While this is a very good response rate, we should note that the non-responders could potentially be significantly different from those who did respond. The use of the randomized sampling strategy was an attempt to minimize bias in the selection of survey respondents.

In order to be eligible to take the survey, respondents had to self-identify as homeless per the McKinney-Vento definition and had to have not taken the survey already. If the person declined to take the survey, the survey worker could approach the next eligible person they encountered. After completing a survey, the randomized approach was resumed.

Strategic attempts were made to reach individuals in various geographic locations and of various subset groups such as homeless youth, minority ethnic groups, military veterans, domestic violence victims, and families, including recruiting survey workers from these subset groups. As part of the youth homeless enumeration effort, a team of homeless youth were trained to administer surveys to other homeless youth.

Trained homeless interviewers administered surveys to the “street” homeless. These guides were used as interviewers because they were familiar with the conditions, challenges, and likely locations of homeless persons, and they may therefore be more likely to obtain survey question responses from the homeless respondents. This peer-to-peer approach may also encourage more candid responses by lessening the suspicion or apprehension of the respondent and helping to build rapport between the survey worker and respondent. Interviewers were asked to inquire if the homeless person had already taken the survey, and if not, if they were willing to do so, knowing there was a “thank you” gift at the completion of the survey. Interviewers were also asked to remain unbiased at all times, make no assumptions or prompts, keep all responses anonymous and confidential, and ask all questions, but allow respondents to skip any question they did not feel comfortable answering.

Surveys were also administrated in shelters and transitional housing programs. In order to assure the representation of transitional housing residents, who can be underrepresented in a street-based survey, survey quotas were created to reach individuals and heads of family households living in these programs. Typically, program staff conducted those surveys. The same survey was used in both shelter and street environments. Altogether, approximately 25% of all survey respondents were sheltered homeless, and the remaining 75% were unsheltered homeless. This is very representative of the homeless population in Orange County, as 38% of the overall population is sheltered and the remaining 62% are unsheltered.

40 The survey method of systematically interviewing every nth person encountered in a location is recommended by HUD in their publication, A Guide to Counting Unsheltered Homeless People, Second Revision, January 2008, p. 37.



Based on a point-in-time estimate of 6,939 homeless persons, with a randomized survey sampling process, the 794 valid surveys represent a confidence interval of +/- 3.27% with a 95% confidence level when generalizing the results of the survey to the estimated population of homeless individuals in Orange County in 2011. In 2009, the 787 valid surveys represented a confidence interval of +/- 3.5% with a 95% confidence level.

Data Collection

Care was taken by interviewers to ensure that respondents felt comfortable regardless of the street or shelter location where the survey occurred. During the interviews, respondents were encouraged to be candid in their responses and were informed that these responses would be framed as general findings, would be kept confidential, and would not be traceable to any one individual.

Overall, the interviewers experienced excellent cooperation from respondents. This was likely influenced by the fact that nearly all of the street interviewers were homeless workers who had previously been, or were currently, fellow members of the homeless community. Another reason for interview cooperation may have been the incentive gift, which was given to respondents upon the completion of the interview.

Data Analysis

In order to avoid potential duplication of respondents, the survey requested respondents’ initials and date of birth, so that duplication could be avoided without compromising the respondents’ anonymity. Upon completion of the survey effort, an extensive verification process was conducted to eliminate duplicates. This process examined respondents’ date of birth, initials, gender, ethnicity, and length of homelessness, and consistencies in patterns of responses to other questions on the survey. It was determined that 6 surveys were duplicates. This left 794 valid surveys for analysis.

Survey Administration Details

The 2011 Orange County Homeless Survey was administered by a team of trained surveyors between February 10, 2011 and March 25, 2011.

The majority (86%) of surveys did not have any refusals.

In all, the survey team administered 800 surveys.

Six surveys were removed from the survey sample, after screening for duplication was conducted by Applied Survey Research.

The sample of valid surveys totaled 794.

While a Spanish version of the survey was available, no survey respondents indicated wanting to complete the survey in Spanish. Therefore, all valid surveys were conducted in English.

Survey Challenges and Limitations

In self-reporting survey research, as was conducted by this survey, there is always some room for misrepresentation. Since there is no mechanism to separate truth from fiction in survey responses, it is important to make every effort to elicit the most truthful responses from interviewees. Using a peer interviewing methodology is believed to allow the respondents to be more candid with their answers, and may help reduce the uneasiness of revealing personal information. It should be noted that the responses provided for this survey are consistent based on reviews by service providers who:



Selected reliable interviewers who had completed a comprehensive training, and

Reviewed the surveys and ensured quality responses.

Surveys that were considered incomplete or containing false responses were not accepted, and the interviewer was not compensated.

2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey Appendix II: “Hot Spot” & “Cold Spot” Identification Form


APPENDIX II: “HOT SPOT” & “COLD” SPOT” IDENTIFICATION FORM

Appendix II: “Hot Spot” & “Cold Spot” Identification Form 2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey


2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey Appendix II: “Hot Spot” & “Cold Spot” Identification Form


Appendix II: “Hot Spot” & “Cold Spot” Identification Form 2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey


2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey Appendix III: Street Census Instrument


APPENDIX III: STREET CENSUS INSTRUMENT

Appendix III: Street Census Instrument 2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey


2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey Appendix IV: Survey Instrument


APPENDIX IV: SURVEY INSTRUMENT Homeless Survey – English

Appendix IV: Survey Instrument 2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey


2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey Appendix IV: Survey Instrument


Homeless Survey – Spanish

Appendix IV: Survey Instrument 2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey


2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey Appendix V: Overall Survey Results


APPENDIX V: OVERALL SURVEY RESULTS Please note that missing values (i.e., questions to which survey respondents did not provide answers) have been intentionally omitted from these survey results. In addition, some questions were asked only of a subset of the respondents, based on their response to a prior question. Therefore, the total number of respondents for each question may not equal the total number of surveys administered (794).

1. Age

Response Frequency Percent 13-17 years 0 0.0% 18-21 years 36 4.6% 22-30 years 110 13.9% 31-40 years 164 20.7% 41-50 years 255 32.2% 51-60 years 193 24.4% More than 60 years 33 4.2% Total 791 100.0%

2. Which racial/ethnic group do you identify with the most?

Response Frequency Percent White/Caucasian 490 61.7% Hispanic/Latino 167 21.0% Black/African American 87 11.0% Asian 13 1.6% Pacific Islander 13 1.6% American Indian/Alaskan Native 6 0.8% Other/Multi-ethnic 18 2.3% Total 794 100.0%

3. How do you identify yourself?

Response Frequency Percent Male 498 62.7% Female 291 36.6% Other 3 0.4% Transgender 2 0.3% Total 794 100.0%

4. Have you ever served in the U.S. Armed Forces?

Response Frequency Percent Yes 113 14.2% No 675 85.0% Don't know 1 0.1% Decline to state 5 0.6% Total 794 100.0%

Appendix V: Overall Survey Results 2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey


5. Were you activated, into active duty, as a member of the National Guard or as a reservist?

Response Frequency Percent Yes 15 1.9% No 773 97.4% Don't know 1 0.1% Decline to state 5 0.6% Total 794 100.0%

5a. Do you currently receive veterans services or benefits?

Response Frequency Percent Yes 61 52.1% No 56 47.9% Total 117 100.0%

5b. What kind of services or benefits do you receive?

Response Frequency Percent Health benefits 33 56.9% VA pension benefits 15 25.9% Disability benefits 13 22.4% Supported housing 5 8.6% Drop-In center 5 8.6% Education benefits 3 5.2%

Multiple response question with 58 respondents offering 74 responses

6. Do you live alone (by yourself)?


6a. Do you live with:

Response Frequency Percent Child/children 109 46.6% Spouse or significant other 50 21.4% Street family 32 13.7% Friend(s) 30 12.8% Parent or legal guardian 5 2.1% Other family member(s) 5 2.1% Other 58 24.8%

Multiple response question with 234 respondents offering 289 responses.



6b. If you live with a spouse, significant other or parent, do any of the following conditions prevent them from maintaining work or housing?

Response Frequency Percent Disabling physical condition 12 24.5% Substance addiction 12 24.5% Mental Illness 8 16.3% Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) 7 14.3% Domestic Violence 6 12.2% Developmental Disability 3 6.1% HIV/AIDS 0 0.0% None of the above 21 42.9%


7. Do you have any children?


7a. Are any of your children currently living with you?


7b. Are your children:

Response Frequency Percent 18 years or older 230 58.8% 0-5 years old 104 26.6% 6-12 years old 103 26.3% 13-17 years old 79 20.2%


7b1. How many children do you have that are 18 years or older?

Response Frequency Percent One child 84 37.5% Two children 82 36.6% Three children 32 14.3% Four or more children 26 11.6% Total 224 100.0%



7b2. How many children do you have that are 0-5 years old?






7c. Are you children ages 5 -16 years old in school?


7d. Do you have any children in foster care?


7e. Do you have any children living with family/friends?


7f. If your children are living with you, do they have health insurance?




8. Where do you usually stay at night, since you have been homeless?

Response Frequency Percent Outdoors/streets/parks 373 47.0% Transitional housing 94 11.8% Emergency shelter 89 11.2% Automobile 49 6.2% Motel/hotel 30 3.8% Unconverted garage/attic/basement 18 2.3% Other shelter 18 2.3% Van 18 2.3% A place in a house not normally used for sleeping (kitchen, living room, etc.) 17 2.1% Public facilities (train station, bus depot, transit center, etc.) 15 1.9% Encampment 15 1.9% Camper/RV 13 1.6% Backyard or storage structure 13 1.6% Abandoned building 10 1.3% Other 22 2.8% Total 794 100.0%

9. In the last 30 days, have you ever tried to stay at an emergency shelter or a transitional housing facility in Orange County and been turned away?

Response Frequency Percent Yes, a shelter 101 12.7% Yes, a transitional housing program 16 2.0% No 680 85.6%


9a. Why were you turned away?

Response Frequency Percent There were no beds available 63 60.0% Alcohol/drug problems 22 21.0% Because you smoke 17 16.2% Couldn't follow shelter rules 15 14.3% Don't like the religious service 10 9.5% Had no identification 8 7.6% Didn't accept partner/friend 6 5.7% Because of your mental illness 6 5.7% Have a criminal record 5 4.8% Didn't meet work requirement 4 3.8% Didn't accept teenager/children 3 2.9% Because of your disability 3 2.9% You were pregnant 1 1.0% Didn't accept pets 0 0.0% Don't know 8 7.6% Other 3 2.9%




10. Is this the first time you have been homeless?


10a. In the last 12 months how many times have you been homeless, including this present time? (Total sample)

Response Frequency Percent 1 time 655 82.5% 2 times 64 8.1% 3 times 21 2.6% 4 times 3 0.4% 5 times 5 0.6% 6 times 10 1.3% More than 6 times 36 4.5% Total 794 100.0%

10b. In the last 3 years how many times have you been homeless, including this present time? (Total sample)

Response Frequency Percent 1 time 547 68.9% 2 times 118 14.9% 3 times 41 5.2% 4 times 14 1.8% 5 times 10 1.3% 6 times 8 1.0% More than 6 times 56 7.1% Total 794 100.0%

11. How long have you been homeless this present time?

Response Frequency Percent 7 days or less 38 4.8% 8-30 days 26 3.3% 1-3 months 106 13.5% 4-6 months 107 13.6% 7-11 months 107 13.6% 1 year 83 10.5% More than 1 year 320 40.7% Total 787 100.0%



11a. How long has it been since you last lived in a permanent housing situation?

Response Frequency Percent 7 days or less 11 1.4% 8 -30 days 30 3.8% 2 months 23 2.9% 3 months 26 3.3% 4 months 36 4.5% 5 months 19 2.4% 6 months 43 5.4% 7 months 24 3.0% 8 months 18 2.3% 9 months 17 2.1% 10 months 12 1.5% 11 months 25 3.2% 12 months 56 7.1% 1-2 years 182 23.0% 2-3 years 90 11.3% More than 3 years 181 22.8% Total 793 100.0%

12. Where were you living right before you most recently became homeless?

Response Frequency Percent Orange County 612 77.1% Los Angeles County 53 6.7% San Bernardino County 9 1.1% Riverside County 35 4.4% San Diego County 20 2.5% Other county in California 19 2.4% Out of state 41 5.2% Out of country 5 0.6% Total 794 100.0%



12a. Which city in Orange County?

Response Frequency Percent Santa Ana 122 20.0% Anaheim 106 17.4% Costa Mesa 57 9.3% Orange 52 8.5% Garden Grove 30 4.9% Huntington Beach 28 4.6% Fullerton 25 4.1% Laguna Beach 21 3.4% Brea 15 2.5% Buena Park 14 2.3% San Clemente 14 2.3% Newport Beach 14 2.3% Tustin 14 2.3% Westminster 13 2.1% Stanton 10 1.6% Irvine 10 1.6% La Habra 8 1.3% Laguna Hills 8 1.3% San Juan Capistrano 8 1.3% Cypress 6 1.0% Dana Point 6 1.0% Fountain Valley 5 0.8% Laguna Niguel 4 0.7% Orange County 4 0.7% Mission Viejo 3 0.5% Yorba Linda 3 0.5% Seal Beach 2 0.3% Placentia 2 0.3% Lake Forest 2 0.3% La Palma 1 0.2% Aliso Viejo 1 0.2% Los Alamitos 1 0.2% La Palma 1 0.2% Total 610 100.0%



12b. How long had you lived in Orange County before becoming homeless?

Response Frequency Percent 7 days or less 4 0.7% 8- 30 days 2 0.3% 1 - 3 months 5 0.8% 4 - 6 months 13 2.2% 7 - 11 months 11 1.8% 1 - 2 years 29 4.8% 3 - 5 years 48 7.9% 6 - 10 years 76 12.6% More than 10 years 416 68.9% Total 604 100.0%

13. Immediately before you became homeless, were you living:

Response Frequency Percent In a rented home/apartment 356 44.9% With relatives 120 15.2% With friends 93 11.7% In a home owned by you/partner 82 10.4% In a motel/hotel 54 6.8% In jail or prison 40 5.1% In a treatment facility 23 2.9% In subsidized housing 3 0.4% In a hospital 1 0.1% Other 20 2.5% Total 792 100.0%

14. What do you think is the primary event or condition that led to your homelessness?

Response Frequency Percent Lost job 306 38.8% Alcohol or drug use 131 16.6% Argument with family or friend who asked you to leave 71 9.0% Family/domestic violence 52 6.6% Divorced or separated 45 5.7% Evicted because landlord sold/stopped renting property 31 3.9% Incarceration 29 3.7% Illness or medical problem 26 3.3% Lost home through foreclosure 19 2.4% Mental health issues 14 1.8% Don't know/decline to state 12 1.5% Landlord raised rent 11 1.4% Hospitalization/treatment program 8 1.0% Aging out of foster care 2 0.3% Natural disaster/fire/flood etc. 1 0.1% Other 30 3.8% Total 788 100.0%



15. Do you have a friends/family support network in Orange County?


16. What is keeping you from getting permanent housing?

Response Frequency Percent No job/no income 593 75.3% Can't afford rent 557 70.7% No money for moving costs 364 46.2% No transportation 258 32.7% Bad credit 203 25.8% Criminal record 126 16.0% Eviction record 80 10.2% No housing availability 63 8.0% Don't want to 44 5.6% Other 13 1.6%

Multiple response question with 788 respondents offering 2,301 responses.

17. Are you currently receiving any of the following forms of government assistance?

Response Frequency Percent Food Stamps 357 45.7% I am not currently receiving any of these 293 37.5% Medi-Cal/Medi-Care 120 15.4% MSI 73 9.3% Cash Aid/CalWORKS 64 8.2% General Assistance 47 6.0% SSI (Supplemental Security Income)/SSDI 45 5.8% Veteran's Benefits 32 4.1% WIC 31 4.0% Social Security 22 2.8% VA Disability Compensation 16 2.0% Other governmental assistance 22 2.8%




17a. If you are not receiving any government assistance, why not?

Response Frequency Percent Don't think I'm eligible 80 27.8% Never applied 78 27.1% No permanent address 54 18.8% Turned down 47 16.3% Have no identification 46 16.0% No transportation 46 16.0% Will apply soon 46 16.0% Don't know where to go 26 9.0% Paper work too difficult 19 6.6% Don't need government assistance 14 4.9% Benefits were cut off 10 3.5% I have applied for one or more of these services, and I am currently waiting for approval 10 3.5% Immigration issues 10 3.5% Other 4 1.4%


18. Are you currently using any of the following services/ assistance?

Response Frequency Percent Free meals 535 68.1% Bus passes 241 30.7% Emergency shelter 206 26.2% Shelter day services 153 19.5% Health services 113 14.4% Mental health services 85 10.8% Legal assistance 63 8.0% Alcohol/drug counseling 57 7.3% Job training 49 6.2% Other 15 1.9% Not using any services 115 14.6%


19. What is your total monthly income from all Government benefits? (County, State, Federal monies)

Response Frequency Percent Zero 372 47.4% $1 - $150 11 1.4% $151 - $250 192 24.5% $251 - $500 62 7.9% $501 - $1,000 108 13.8% $1,001 - $,1500 30 3.8% $1,501 - $,2000 7 0.9% Over $20,00 2 0.3% Total 784 100.0%



20. What is your total monthly income from all non-Government sources? (Job, panhandling, recycling,

Response Frequency Percent Zero 411 52.6% $1 - $150 152 19.5% $151 - $250 88 11.3% $251 - $500 62 7.9% $501 - $1,000 30 3.8% $1,001 - $1,500 8 1.0% $1,501 - $2,000 21 2.7% Over $2,000 9 1.2% Total 781 100.0%

21. What is your employment status?

Response Frequency Percent Unemployed 603 76.3% Employed full-time 35 4.4% Day laborer 35 4.4% Retired 31 3.9% Self-employed 24 3.0% Student 22 2.8% Employed part-time 21 2.7% Seasonal/temporary worker 17 2.2% Migrant worker 2 0.3% Total 790 100.0%

21a. If you are unemployed, what is keeping you from getting employment?

Response Frequency Percent No transportation 289 40.9% No phone 267 37.8% No jobs 259 36.7% No permanent address 245 34.7% Need clothing 243 34.4% No shower facilities 230 32.6% Need training 192 27.2% Alcohol/drug issues 164 23.2% No tools for trade 130 18.4% Health problems 127 18.0% Criminal record 127 18.0% Need education 107 15.2% Disabled 86 12.2% No photo identification 70 9.9% Don't want to work 48 6.8% Retired 33 4.7% Not applicable 25 3.5% No child care 24 3.4% No work permit (No S.S. #) 18 2.5% Spouse/partner doesn't want me to work 7 1.0%




22. Were you ever in foster care?


23. Since you became homeless this last time, have you needed medical care and been unable to receive it?


24. Where do you usually get medical care?

Response Frequency Percent Hospital emergency room 363 46.2% Free clinic/community clinic 140 17.8% Private doctor 82 10.4% VA Hospital/Clinic 61 7.8% Don't ever go 56 7.1% Public health clinic 48 6.1% Urgent care clinic 17 2.2% Friends/family 1 0.1% Other 9 1.1% Don't know 9 1.1% Total 786 100.0%

24a. Do you usually receive adequate medical care?


24b. How many times in the last 12 months have you used the emergency room for any treatment?

Response Frequency Percent Never 390 50.1% 1 time 135 17.3% 2 times 93 11.9% 3 times 66 8.5% 4 times 33 4.2% 5 times 17 2.2% More than 5 times 45 5.8% Total 779 100.0%



25. How many nights, if any, have you spent in jail or prison during the last 12 months?

Response Frequency Percent 0 nights 537 69.1% 1 - 5 nights 97 12.5% 6 - 10 nights 20 2.6% 11 - 20 nights 12 1.5% 21 - 50 nights 36 4.6% More than 50 nights 75 9.7% Total 777 100.0%

26. Are you currently experiencing any of the following:

Yes No Total 26a. Physical disability 23.8% 76.2% 100.0%

176 565 741 26b. Mental illness 20.2% 79.8% 100.0%

147 582 729 26c. Depression 42.4% 57.6% 100.0%

324 441 765 26d. Alcohol/drug abuse 32.7% 67.3% 100.0%

244 502 746 26e. Domestic/partner violence or abuse 9.5% 90.5% 100.0%

71 674 745 26f. Chronic health problems 24.9% 75.1% 100.0%

184 556 740 26g. AIDS/HIV related illness 1.2% 98.8% 100.0%

9 726 735 26h. Tuberculosis 1.1% 98.9% 100.0%

8 719 727 26i. Hepatitis C 10.3% 89.7% 100.0%

76 664 740 26j. PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) 16.3% 83.7% 100.0%

120 614 734 26k. Developmental disability 9.0% 91.0% 100.0%

66 670 736



26a. Does it prevent you from getting work or housing ?

Yes No Total a. Physical disability 82.8% 17.2% 100.0%

135 28 163 b. Mental illness 79.0% 21.0% 100.0%

109 29 138 c. Depression 53.1% 46.9% 100.0%

162 143 305 d. Alcohol/drug abuse 69.4% 30.6% 100.0%

161 71 232 e. Domestic/partner violence or abuse 49.3% 50.7% 100.0%

34 35 69 f. Chronic health problems 75.9% 24.1% 100.0%

126 40 166 g. AIDS/HIV related illness 75.0% 25.0% 100.0%

6 2 8 h. Tuberculosis 57.1% 42.9% 100.0%

4 3 7 i. Hepatitis C 22.1% 77.9% 100.0%

15 53 68 j. PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) 63.7% 36.3% 100.0%

72 41 113 k. Developmental disability 93.5% 6.5% 100.0%

58 4 62

27. Do you have a working cell phone?


28. How often do you use the internet?

Response Frequency Percent At least once a week 248 31.6% At least once a month 40 5.1% Sometimes 231 29.4% Never 266 33.9% Total 785 100.0%

29. Do you usually get enough to eat on a daily basis?

Response Frequency Percent Yes 548 69.8% Sometimes 160 20.4% No 77 9.8% Total 785 100.0%

2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey Appendix VI: Summary for the 2011 Continuum of Care Application


APPENDIX VI: SUMMARY FOR THE 2011 CONTINUUM OF CARE APPLICATION The purpose of the following summaries is to provide local jurisdictions with consolidated information to facilitate the completion of the application for Continuum of Care (CoC) funds. The following summaries are based directly upon the results discussed in the body of the report. Please note that the information on the sheltered homeless populations and subpopulations contained in the tables below reflects only those people counted in emergency shelters and transitional housing. Under the HUD definition of homelessness, those housed in jails, hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, or who are “doubled-up” in a house, do not qualify as homeless.

Homeless Population

The following table details the results of the 2011 Orange County Homeless Census and Survey.

Part 1: Homeless Population Sheltered

Unsheltered Total Emergency Transitional Safe haven

1. Households with at least one adult and one child 1a. Number of households 174 393 0 7 574 1b. Number of persons (adults and children) 479 1,207 0 22 1,708

2. Households with only children 2a. Number of households 21 20 0 13 54 2b. Number of persons (<18) 21 20 0 13 54

3. Households without children 3a. Number of households* 429 499 0 4,138 5,066 3b. Number of persons (adults 18+) 441 499 0 4,237 5,177

Total households and persons Total number of households (lines 1a + 2a + 3a) 624 912 0 4,158 5,694 Total number of persons (lines 1b + 2b + 3b) 941 1,726 0 4,272 6,939

* Number of Households without dependent children is an estimate based on survey results. Homeless Subpopulations

The following table breaks down the homeless census data into subpopulations. Lines 1-6 of the following chart are estimates calculated by applying the survey results to the point-in-time homeless count population.

Part 2: Homeless Subpopulations Sheltered Unsheltered Total 1. Chronically homeless Emergency Safe haven

1a. Chronically homeless individuals 66 0 1,585 1,651 1b. Chronically homeless families

(Total persons in household) 15 0 4 19 2. Veterans 96 760 856 3. Severely mentally ill 341 1,414 1,755 4. Chronic substance abuse 292 1,618 1,910 5. Persons with HIV/AIDS 16 55 71 6. Victims of domestic violence 444 303 747 7. Unaccompanied children (under 18 years of age) 41 13 54

Appendix VI: Summary for the 2011 Continuum of Care Application 2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey


2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey Appendix VII: Definitions and Abbreviations


APPENDIX VII: DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS Chronically homeless person, as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, is an unaccompanied homeless individual (18 or older) with a disabling condition who has been living on the streets or in a place not meant for human habitation, an emergency shelter (not transitional housing), or a safe haven, and has either been continuously homeless for a year or more or had at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years.

Chronically homeless family, as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, is a family with at least one adult member (18 or older) who has a disabling condition, who has been living on the streets or in a place not meant for human habitation, an emergency shelter (not transitional housing), or a safe haven, and who has either been continuously homeless for a year or more or had at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years.

Disabling condition, for the purposes of this study, was defined as a physical or developmental disability, mental illness, severe depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, chronic health problems, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis C, or substance abuse.

Emergency shelter is the provision of a safe alternative to the streets, either in a shelter facility or through the use of motel vouchers. Emergency shelter is short-term, usually for 30 days or less. Domestic violence shelters are typically considered a type of emergency shelter, as they provide safe, immediate housing for domestic violence victims and their children.

Family is defined by HUD as a household with at least one adult (18 or older) and one child (under 18).

Homeless individual, according to the Stewart B. McKinney Act of 1987, is an individual who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, and who have a primary nighttime residence that is: a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations (including welfare hotels, congregate shelters, and transitional housing for the mentally ill), an institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized, or a public or private place not designated for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.

Households with only children is defined by HUD as households with persons under 18, including unaccompanied children, adolescent parents and their children, adolescent siblings, or other household configurations composed only of children.

Households without children includes singles adults or adult couples with no children present.

HUD – United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.

PIT – Point-in-Time

Severe depression includes those who reported experiencing depression and who reported that their depression prevents them from getting work or housing.

Sheltered homeless persons are those homeless persons who are living in emergency shelters or transitional housing programs.

Single individual or person refers to an unaccompanied person of any age not in families.

Appendix VII: Definitions and Abbreviations 2011 Orange County Homeless Census & Survey


Transitional housing facilitates the movement of homeless individuals and families to permanent housing. It is housing in which homeless persons may live up to 24 months and receive supportive services that enable them to live more independently. Supportive services – which help promote residential stability, increased skill level or income, and greater self-determination – may be provided by the organization managing the housing, or coordinated by that organization and provided by other public or private agencies. Transitional housing can be provided in one structure or several structures at one site, or in multiple structures at scattered sites.

Unaccompanied children are unaccompanied individuals under the age of 18.

Unaccompanied youth are unaccompanied individuals between the ages of 18-24.

Unsheltered homeless persons are those homeless persons who are living on the streets or in vehicles, encampments, abandoned buildings, unconverted garages, storage structures, or any other place unfit for human habitation.

Veteran is defined as an individual who has served on active duty in the United States Armed Forces. This does not include inactive military reserves or the National Guard unless the person was called into active duty.

2011 oc orange county homeless_report_final

Government & Nonprofit