Annual ‘PIT’ count reveals 65 people without stable place to sleep

Of that total, 44, including children and the disabled, are living outdoors, in vehicles or in abandoned buildings, while the remaining 21 rely on family or friends for temporary housing arrangements. Those unsettling statistics come from the latest "Point-In-Time" count of people without housing conducted by San Juan County.

March 21, 2014 8:17 pm

A total of 65 people live in San Juan County without any stable, reliable form of housing.

Of that total, 44, including children and the disabled, are living outdoors, in vehicles or in abandoned buildings, while the remaining 21 rely on family or friends for temporary housing arrangements.

Those unsettling statistics come from the latest “Point-In-Time” count of people without housing conducted by San Juan County. A state-mandated tally of the homeless or those without stable housing, the 2014 PIT count was conducted Jan. 23. The annual PIT count began in 2005.

Organized by county officials, the count is conducted with assistance of local churches, food banks, seniors centers, healthcare providers, libraries, family resource centers and the sheriff’s office. Agencies not open on the day of the county were allowed to conduct the survey on their business day closest to Jan. 23.

Results of prior PITs can be viewed at: www.commerce.wa.gov/Programs/housing/Homeless/Pages/Annual-Point-In-Time-Count.aspx

For more information, contact Melanie Rollins, San Juan County Affordable Housing coordinator.