Homeless Point-in-Time Count reveals possible progress amid collaborative approach

City and county officials were hoping to find far fewer people living on the streets of Palm Springs Wednesday morning during this year’s Homeless Point-In-Time Count, and that’s exactly what they found.

While it’s not proof that there are fewer people living on the streets than there were in 2023 — the last time the count was taken — it is a glimmer of hope, they said, that efforts to address the homelessness crisis in Palm Springs and throughout Riverside County might be paying off.

“I’m surprised at how few people we’ve run into — very different from two years ago,” said Greg Rodriguez, deputy director of government affairs and community engagement for Riverside County’s Housing and Workforce Solutions Department.

He credited the apparent improvement to the joint efforts of Riverside County, the city of Palm Springs, and the Palm Springs Police Department, along with the opening of the Navigation Center.

Police and others who work with the city’s homeless population on a daily basis estimate there could be more than 400 unhoused people here — living on the streets and in vehicles or staying in homes that are not their own. The county and all of its cities use multiple methods to track data on the total number of unhoused residents, so it’s important to note that the count conducted Wednesday serves only as a record of the number of people found on the streets during a single morning.

Mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the count helps determine funding and resources allocated to the city for addressing homelessness. It also provides an opportunity to gain greater insight into the local unhoused population through voluntary interviews.

A number of city officials gathered with more than 80 volunteers at the Palm Springs Pavilion before dispersing into groups across 18 identified “hotspots” throughout the city in the pre-dawn hours Wednesday. Rodriguez, Mayor Ron deHarte, and Police Chief Andy Mills spent their morning downtown, walking Palm Canyon Drive, Indian Canyon Drive, and adjacent streets.

“We’ve checked every nook and cranny downtown, looking in bushes and going behind buildings where people normally wouldn’t go, and only found a few people,” Mills said at the conclusion of their search.

Among those few was a man waking up after a night spent sleeping in an enclosure beside a dumpster in an alley between North Palm Canyon and Indian Canyon drives. He told officials that he had recently been admitted to the Navigation Center but said he left because he didn’t want to stay.

“That’s not an option,” Mills said of utilizing the services of the Navigation Center, as he noted several syringes on the ground near where the man had been sleeping.

This signifies that while numerous assistance programs are available, including immediate housing and voucher programs, some unhoused individuals choose not to accept assistance due to their personal circumstances, whether it be substance abuse issues, pets not being allowed at certain shelters, and concerns about their belongings being stolen.

While some people decline assistance, others accept available resources immediately. Anthony, a 67-year-old man found walking along Indian Canyon Drive, was one of them.

As a senior citizen, the cold weather has made sleeping outside increasingly difficult. He told officials that a local business owner had been letting him sleep at their establishment, though it was unclear whether he stayed inside or outside. During the day, he visits the Access Center.

“This is hard for me,” Anthony told officials, explaining that he had slept in a mental health facility the previous night.

After officials informed him they could provide immediate assistance, a call was made to Martha’s Village and Kitchen, which arranged a pickup location for Anthony that morning.

“He’ll go to Martha’s, and they’ll do intake there. We have motel vouchers and other resources to get him into a place today,” Rodriguez said.

Beyond the significant reduction in unhoused individuals observed during the count, Rodriguez also noted a decline in those experiencing severe mental health or substance use issues compared to two years ago. Additionally, he pointed out that more individuals seem willing to seek services, which he sees as a positive sign.

He believes the county’s proactive efforts, including increased capacity, outreach, behavioral health services, and additional shelter beds, have contributed to the decline in homelessness.

“We’re heading in the right direction as a city,” Mills said. “Let’s keep moving forward with compassion, while maintaining a firm stance that we will not tolerate behaviors associated with some homeless.”

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