Santa Barbara County Completes Volunteer Recruitment for Point-in-Time Homelessness Count

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. — Volunteer registration for this year’s Point-in-Time Count in Santa Barbara County closed on Jan. 17, as the county prepares to conduct the survey of individuals experiencing homelessness.

“The Point-in-Time Count is a survey of everyone experiencing homelessness throughout Santa Barbara County. It’s something every county in the United States is required to do in January,” said Landon Ranck, associate director of SB ACT.

The county recruited hundreds of volunteers to participate in the effort, with many stepping up just before the registration deadline.

“Volunteers will be grouped into teams, trained on Zoom, and then sent out to cover all the census tracts in the county to count and interview people experiencing homelessness,” Ranck said.

Although the count takes place early in the morning, organizers hope it will inspire participants to continue engaging with homelessness issues in the community.

“I love seeing people come together,” said Kai Roldan, program administrator at SB ACT. “It’s really important, and I love seeing how much people get out of participating in the Point-in-Time Count.”

Ranck added, “I hope people take an interest, even if they couldn’t volunteer this year. Educating yourself about homelessness in our community is a great first step.”

Data collected during the count will determine how much federal and state funding the community receives to address homelessness. It will also help agencies allocate services and resources to areas of greatest need.

For more information about the Point-in-Time Count or ways to get involved in addressing homelessness, visit https://www.countyofsb.org/3667/Homeless-Point-In-Time-Count.