Numerous volunteers – including many from the armed services – joined federal, state, and local government agencies for the Point-in-Time survey to help document homelessness in Southern Maryland. This week’s efforts are the culmination of the “We All Count” campaign, a joint effort launched by Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties in October, 2013 to increase participation in the survey. The campaign is supported by the office of Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development and local elected officials and community organizations.
“I’m proud that so many stakeholders in our region have come together to ensure we have an accurate count of families and individuals experiencing homelessness in Southern Maryland,” said Congressman Hoyer, who helped kick off the “We All Count” campaign in December. “A reliable count will help ensure we have the resources to alleviate homelessness among our residents, especially our veterans. Not one of the brave men and women who have served our nation deserves to be living on the street, and I’m hopeful that that an accurate Point-In-Time survey will result in the resources necessary to help homeless veterans and others transition to permanent housing. I thank our federal, state, and local partners, as well as law enforcement, military officials, service organizations, and all those who are volunteering in support of this effort.”
Required by HUD and conducted by local Continuums of Care, the Point-in-Time survey is a census of sheltered and unsheltered homeless persons on a single night in January. Data from this survey is used to determine eligibility and funding levels for certain federal housing grant and loan assistance.
“We’re taking action to protect our most vulnerable Marylanders and the Point-in-Time survey is a huge part of our efforts to help them get back on their feet,” said Governor Martin O’Malley. “Working with our partners, we’ll secure vital resources, upholding our commitment to honor their service by helping them transition back into the communities they’ve fought to defend.”
A large portion of area homeless are veterans, and the “We All Count” campaign seeks to specifically address that issue as an accurate Point-in-Time survey may result in HUD Veteran Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) vouchers being allocated to southern Maryland. The VASH program combines Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance for homeless veterans with case management and clinical services provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs through Veterans Affairs medical centers and community-based outreach clinics.
“Veterans face many unique challenges as they transition from active duty to civilian life. Finding a safe and decent home should not be one of them,” said Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown, a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves and one of the nation’s highest ranking elected officials to have served a tour of duty in Iraq. “These brave men and women have served our country with honor, and with the data collected in this survey, we will be able to do a better job serving them.”
Southern Maryland’s efforts to collect this important data on the homeless population are being led by the Calvert County Mental Health Clinic, Lifestyles of Maryland Foundation, Inc. (Charles County), and the Three Oaks Center (St. Mary’s County). These organizations will use their headquarters as intake centers for survey participation and as staging areas for vo
