One of the most important events in Housing Services is the Point in Time (“PIT”) Count, which represents a count of unsheltered people experiencing homelessness on a single night, February 23rd.
The County based Homeless Continuum of Care of Placer and Nevada County (COC-515 and COC-531) organizes the annual PIT Count effort in accordance with HUD guidelines. For more information on these COCs and how to get involved please visit Homeless Support Organization in Placer County and Nevada County, CA (hrcscoc.org)
The PIT Count is a community wide effort that provides an opportunity for residents and local businesses to actively contribute and learn about people who are experiencing homelessness and gain an understanding of the resources available to address homelessness in North Tahoe Truckee. The count is vital in determining the scope of homelessness, defining existing resources available and identifying gaps to better serve these individuals.
Who Gets Counted
Starting February 24th through March 4th, our community will be making every effort to connect with individuals who are unsheltered the night of February 23rd. For the purpose of this effort, unsheltered individuals will be defined as persons sleeping in their Vehicle (Car, van, RV, Truck), the woods or outdoor encampment, or any other location not meant for full-time living (abandoned building, bus stop, emergency shelter, etc.). Individuals staying with friends or “Couch Surfing” will not be counted in these specific efforts.
Our unhoused workforce has been historically challenging to engage in our annual Point in Time Counts. We also recognize our regional numbers of people experiencing homelessness may have gone up due to our local housing crisis and pandemic hardships.
How You Can Help
As we prepare for our 2022 count, we are seeking business owners to help conduct the 2022 PIT Count by distributing a survey to any of their employees who are unhoused. The survey will take 10 minutes or less and will collect information on where the individual slept on the night of February 23rd. In order to protect privacy, the individual will be asked to provide their initials and date of birth. These data points will only be used to eliminate duplicate entries and will not be public information. An $8 Safeway gift card will be offered as an incentive to complete the survey.
Business owners can learn more and volunteer to help by emailing info@mountainhousingcouncil.org or by calling 530-807-7792.
Local Services Available Now:
North Tahoe Truckee Homeless Services (NTTHS) provides a number of services to our community members in need, including the Emergency Warming Center, Day Respite Center, street outreach, case management, and housing support. Find out more here and below:
The Day Respite Center: Described as a “Navigation Center,” provides a space for community, as well as a connection to basic necessities such as health checks, showers, warm meals, and laundry. It also offers case management, an entry to county services, and support for longer term needs. The Center is currently open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Emergency Warming Center (EWC) provides our guests with a warm, dry, safe place to stay overnight on the most severe weather nights from November – April. ”Severe weather” which triggers EWC’s opening includes 15 degrees or less, a foot or more of snow overnight, and/or other conditions. To find out if the EWC is open, you can call 530-386-7954, check out NTTHS’ Facebook page, and/or request to be added to the email list for open notifications by emailing NTTHS@amihousing.org. A weekly schedule is posted on Wednesdays.
Connecting Point 211
Dial 2-1-1 from any phone to receive essential help with housing, rental assistance, hunger relief, and much more. Operators are available 24/7 to connect callers with all available resources. Information can also be found at https://211connectingpoint.
