Santa Barbara County releases results for 2022 Point in Time Homelessness Count
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – Volunteers counted 1,962 individuals experiencing homelessness in Santa Barbara County during the annual Point in Time Count on Feb. 23, 2022.
The preliminary results, released Friday, showed that 595 people in the count experience sheltered homelessness, and the other 1,367 people in the count experience unsheltered homelessness.
In total, the 2022 count of 1,962 represented a 3.4% increase in the number of persons experiencing homelessness in Santa Barbara County.
In 2020, volunteers counted 1,897 persons experiencing homelessness, and in 2019, volunteers counted 1,803.
More than 400 volunteers assisted in the count conducted by the Santa Maria/Santa Barbara County Continuum of Care (CoC).
Event organizers said the count is mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and serves as a snapshot of homelessness in the county on a single night.
"The Point in Time Count has identified the ongoing need to allocate resources and for the community to respond to best meet the needs of our houseless neighbors," said CoC Chairperson, Sylvia Barnard.
For a city-by-city look at the 2022 results:
- Carpinteria: 21
- Goleta: 91
- Santa Barbara: 822
- Isla Vista: 112
- Lompoc: 290
- Buellton/Solvang/Santa Ynez Valley: 12
- Santa Maria: 457
- Guadalupe: 2
- Unincorporated: 155
Organizers said that 1,178 (60%) persons were counted in south county, and 784 (40%) persons were counted in mid/north county.
The results showed that the homeless population counted in unincorporated areas, Lompoc and Santa Maria increased.
Counts decreased in nearly all areas along the South coast, except for Isla Vista due to an increase in individuals living in vehicles on and near the UC Santa Barbara campus.
For more information on the Point in Time Count, click here.