By Mike Hazlip–
A point-in-time count of unhoused individuals found just over 60 homeless individuals in Citrus Heights.
Results of the Point in Time (PIT) count survey, which is conducted every two years by Sacramento Steps Forward, were released June 5 and revealed a 29 percent decrease in overall homelessness throughout Sacramento County.
In a June 5 press conference in downtown Sacramento, Chief Executive Officer for Sacramento Steps Forward, Lisa Bates called the results “good news,” saying 2024 represents the first time the study has recorded a decrease in overall homelessness.
Several volunteer teams canvased Citrus Heights and surrounding communities in late January in order to obtain a count of sheltered and unsheltered homeless individuals. A Sentinel reporter rode along with volunteers conducting the count on the night of Jan. 24 and observed volunteers contacting about four individuals who said they were homeless in the areas of Rusch Park, Sylvan Corners, and other nearby shopping centers.
Citrus Heights Homeless Assistance Resource Team Chair Irene Hronicek told The Sentinel at the time of the count that the Winter Sanctuary program saw an increase in guests coming in from the cold, wet weather.
In an email to The Sentinel on June 5, Hronicek added that weather could be a factor in the low numbers released in the report.
“I think the folks we were looking for were hunkered down somewhere dry, or inside somewhere, even more difficult to locate,” Hronicek said.
From January: Workers conduct homeless count in Citrus Heights, as wet weather keeps many in shelters
Individuals participating in the Winter Sanctuary program are considered “sheltered” and should still be included in the overall count, according to Homelessness Management Information System and Data Analytics Director Dr. Trent Simmons.
“The count, overall, includes folks who are experiencing homelessness on the streets, but it also includes folks who are experiencing homelessness in shelter because homelessness, as defined by HUD, is anyone who lacks a regular fixed nighttime residence,” Simmons told The Sentinel in an interview following the press conference.
In breaking down the data further, Simmons noted that while “unsheltered” homelessness declined by 41 percent, “sheltered” homelessness saw an uptick by two percent. Simmons attributed the shift to greater shelter capacity.
When asked if weather could be a factor in this year’s low unsheltered homeless rates, Simmons said there are several factors that influence the PIT count.
Simmons called the Point In Time count “somewhat of a blunt instrument” that gives a “snapshot” that is added to a broad range of data collected from other sources. Simmons also pointed out that conducting the count during winter months may make it easier to count individuals sleeping in shelters, thus giving a more accurate count.
Hronicek said her organization completes an online survey from Sacramento Steps Forward where she reports the number of unhoused staying in shelters. According to the report, only the unsheltered numbers were provided for each jurisdiction, while overall percentages for “sheltered” were provided for the county.
In a phone call with The Sentinel on Wednesday, local homeless community advocate Alfred Sanchez called the results “hard to believe,” and estimated the actual number of people experiencing homelessness in Citrus Heights to be in the hundreds.
“They’re going around at night on a cold and rainy night, they’re hunkered down. You’re not going to find them,” Sanchez said, adding that the circumstances and time in which the count was taken is “part of the problem.”
Sanchez, who regularly delivers snacks and connects with homeless, estimated seeing about 25 people on one of his routes and another 50 on another route. Sanchez also said he is seeing more new faces, something he attributes to the police activity in neighboring areas.
An email to Sacramento Steps Forward Media Relations Manager Pat Macht seeking clarification on the total homeless population in Citrus Heights was not immediately returned by press time.
PIT counts are required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care Program, which provides funding for efforts to end homelessness. Counts are conducted every other year in Sacramento County, with the exception of years during the peak of the pandemic.
The 2022 PIT count found 89 homeless individuals in Citrus Heights, and a 2019 PIT count found 45 homeless, while a 2017 count found 188. The data has conflicted with separate counts conducted by the Citrus Heights Police Department, which have typically reported much higher numbers. The police department’s 2024 count found 108 homeless individuals.
From 2022: Latest count shows just 89 homeless people in Citrus Heights. Is it accurate?
Councilman Tim Schaefer responded to the report during the June 13 meeting, criticizing the nearly six-month time frame in releasing the 2024 homeless PIT count.
“Taking six months to generate this report is outrageous,” said Schaefer, referencing the time lapsed between the count in January and the official report being released in June. “If we can’t get a report that says this is how many homeless people we have, it’s hard for us to set policy on that.”
Schaefer’s comments were echoed by Vice Mayor Jayna Karpinski-Costa, who expressed skepticism at the accuracy of the count in comparison to police department findings.
“We waited six months for a bunch of numbers that, to me, don’t mean anything,” she said.
A "point-in-time" count of unhoused individuals over one night in January found just over 60 unsheltered individuals in Citrus Heights...
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