TCG Street Census

What is the Street Census, and why do we keep it?

In 2020 during our outreach response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw a need to track the growing number of individuals that we were serving who did not have stable shelter in our community.

When we meet new people who meet HUD’s definition of homelessness, we add them to our database with the date that we engaged with them. When we learn of people who get permanent housing, move out of the area, are incarcerated in state or federal correctional institutions, or pass away, we immediately remove them from our count.

We update the Street Census every two weeks.

HUD’s Definition of Homelessness is:

“In general

For purposes of this chapter, the terms “homeless”, “homeless individual”, and “homeless person” means— [1]

(1)an individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence;

(2)an individual or family with a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings, including a car, park, abandoned building, bus or train station, airport, or camping ground;

(3)an individual or family living in a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements (including hotels and motels paid for by Federal, State, or local government programs for low-income individuals or by charitable organizations, congregate shelters, and transitional housing);

(4)an individual who resided in a shelter or place not meant for human habitation and who is exiting an institution where he or she temporarily resided;

(5)an individual or family who—

(A)will imminently lose their housing, including housing they own, rent, or live in without paying rent, are sharing with others, and rooms in hotels or motels not paid for by Federal, State, or local government programs for low-income individuals or by charitable organizations, as evidenced by—

(i)a court order resulting from an eviction action that notifies the individual or family that they must leave within 14 days;

(ii)the individual or family having a primary nighttime residence that is a room in a hotel or motel and where they lack the resources necessary to reside there for more than 14 days; or

(iii)credible evidence indicating that the owner or renter of the housing will not allow the individual or family to stay for more than 14 days, and any oral statement from an individual or family seeking homeless assistance that is found to be credible shall be considered credible evidence for purposes of this clause;

(B)has no subsequent residence identified; and

(C)lacks the resources or support networks needed to obtain other permanent housing; and

(6)unaccompanied youth and homeless families with children and youth defined as homeless under other Federal statutes who—

(A)have experienced a long-term period without living independently in permanent housing,

(B)have experienced persistent instability as measured by frequent moves over such period, and

(C)can be expected to continue in such status for an extended period of time because of chronic disabilities, chronic physical health or mental health conditions, substance addiction, histories of domestic violence or childhood abuse, the presence of a child or youth with a disability, or multiple barriers to employment.

(b)Domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and other dangerous, traumatic, or life-threatening conditions relating to such violence

Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the Secretary shall consider to be homeless any individual or family who—

(1)is experiencing trauma or a lack of safety related to, or fleeing or attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or other dangerous, traumatic, or life-threatening conditions related to the violence against the individual or a family member in the individual’s or family’s current housing situation, including where the health and safety of children are jeopardized;

(2)has no other safe residence; and

(3)lacks the resources to obtain other safe permanent housing.”