Council of Governments Counting Homeless Population

From the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments:

During the afternoon and evening of January 25, metropolitan Washington area governments and homeless services providers will conduct the annual enumeration of the region’s homeless population. In addition to the overall count, jurisdiction-specific information will be collected, as will data on subpopulations, such as disabled persons, veterans, and persons with mental illness.

In 2011, 11,988 people were counted as homeless in metropolitan Washington, a two percent increase from 2010.  Last year’s count found that the number of homeless people in families increased by six percent, while homeless single adults decreased by less than two percent. 

The annual enumeration is part of an ongoing effort to monitor and report on the number of people found on the streets, in emergency shelters, in transitional and permanent supportive housing, or otherwise homeless and in need of a safe shelter.  The jurisdictions that participate in the annual count include the District of Columbia; Frederick County; Montgomery County; Prince George's County (including the City of Bowie); Alexandria; Arlington County; Fairfax County (including Falls Church and the City of Fairfax); Loudoun County; and Prince William County (including the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park).

Results of the enumeration will be released by COG this spring. To view/download last year’s report, A Regional Portrait of Homelessness, click here.