Point-in-Time Count Looks at How Champaign County is Addressing Homelessness in 2020

A total of 140 individuals were identified in Champaign County during the most recent Point-in-Time count, down from 151 individuals experiencing homelessness in 2019. The count was conducted on Thursday, January 30, with 26 volunteers in seven teams surveying areas throughout Champaign County, including downtown Champaign, downtown Urbana, Campustown, the shopping areas on North Prospect Avenue and Neil Street in Champaign, Crystal Lake Park in Urbana, the Philo business district, Mahomet, and more.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires the Point-in-Time count in order to provide a snapshot of the state of homelessness throughout the country. Congress then utilizes the data collected from the count to disseminate funds for homeless services. The count included people both sheltered (residing in emergency shelters or transitional housing for individuals experiencing homelessness) and unsheltered (living in spaces not meant for human habitation, such as cars or on the street).

“The Point-in-Time Count is a tool to help in planning for services and programs to address local needs. It also measures our progress in decreasing homelessness and identifying gaps in our county’s homeless service system,” said Jennifer Carlson, Chairperson of the Continuum of Service Providers to the Homeless (CSPH), a consortium of agencies and governmental units committed to ending homelessness in Champaign County. “The data collected from the count is used when applying for federal funds. In the last fiscal year, Champaign County received more than $700,000 to fund housing and homeless service programs.”

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