On Wednesday, January 26, 2022, United Way of Ottawa and Allegan Counties along with other Michigan communities participated in an annual event to produce a snapshot of the number of people experiencing homelessness during the coldest month of the year. The Point-In-Time (PIT) count takes place on the last Wednesday of January and is required for communities funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
During the Point in Time count, communities tally the number of people in emergency shelters and the number of people who are unsheltered. The United Ways of Ottawa and Allegan Counties recently merged and while each community conducted a unique PIT count, United Way was integral to the planning of this year’s count. Ottawa County’s Lakeshore Housing Alliance (LHA) and Allegan County’s Local Planning Body recruited member agencies to help identify people experiencing homelessness. The two counties also conducted street counts to ensure people living unsheltered were connected to resources. The PIT count is just one tool available to raise awareness of homelessness in our community.
Housing services providers continue to work collaboratively to address the needs of people who are experiencing or are at risk of homelessness,” said Lyn Raymond, Director of the Lakeshore Housing Alliance. “Annual data analysis, like the Point in Time, is key to understanding the needs of the community. That analysis helps inform new strategies to fill gaps in services,” added Katrina Pelfrey, Coordinator, Allegan County Local Planning Body.
https://ottawaunitedway.org/sites/oaunitedway/files/LHA-Dashboard-Jan-2…
Lakeshore Housing Alliance
Lyn Raymond
lraymond@ottawaunitedway.org
616-368-9150
Allegan County Local Planning Body
Katrina Pelfrey
kpelfrey@acuw.org
616-834-1856