The Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County is the official coordinator for the 2011 homeless count in suburban Cook County that occurs every other year. We count all the persons who are homeless, whether in shelters or unsheltered.
Our goal is to count every person who is homeless
in suburban Cook County on January 27, 2011
The homeless count is important because “Every Person Counts.” The survey will be used to allocate government funds throughout the area, which are based partially on the number of homeless persons identified.
The Alliance will conduct the unsheltered (“street”) count during the night of January 27, 2011. The sheltered count will also be conducted at all pre-identified shelters and other places serving the homeless. Someone who has no home but lives with a friend or family member or pays to stay in a motel is not considered homeless by the federal definition of “homelessness.”
Unsheltered homeless can be found in any location that is not intended for residential habitation or that is outdoors. These are locations where the homeless person is not a legal occupant.
Examples of unsheltered locations are:
- Vehicles
- Abandoned homes or businesses
- Garages
- Underpasses
- Bridges
- Tents
- Doorways, stairwells, foyers
- Parks and forest preserves
Why do we need a homeless count?
- To establish a baseline for our homeless population and to track our progress as we progress towards ending homelessness
- To increase public awareness of homelessness throughout Cook County
- To improve the ability of the Alliance and homeless service providers to plan and implement effective services for the homeless
- To preserve over $8 million in current federal funding for homeless services in suburban Cook County and enhance our ability to raise new funds in the future
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