On January 27, the region conducted its twenty-first annual point-in-time (PIT) count of persons experiencing homelessness.
Last year’s count—conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic began—showed the region made progress reducing homelessness from the year prior and over the past decade. Although the results of the 2021 count will not be available until this spring, it is already clear that COVID-19 has only compounded the area’s housing challenges.
The region’s Continuums of Care report they are facing unprecedented needs for staffing, additional shelter facilities to ensure safe social distancing, health care coordination and support, COVID testing, and permanent housing for people experiencing homelessness.
In January, the COG Board of Directors passed a resolution committing to expanding regionwide collaboration to prevent and end homelessness. The compact was developed by COG’s Human Services Policy Committee during 2020, under the leadership of District of Columbia Councilmember Brianne Nadeau, in collaboration with COG’s Homeless Services Committee.
The compact will foster “a cross-jurisdictional, client-centered approach to ending the experience of homelessness by identifying and breaking down barriers to get people the resources they need.”
The region will work toward this vision by building on existing coordinated efforts, like the annual homelessness count.
Specific actions outlined in the compact include improving the way data is shared and analyzed across jurisdictions, establishing shared protocols for the ways residents are identified in the system, and ensuring key metrics are tracked and reported consistently. A region-wide homeless systems audit will help ensure that efforts to prevent and end homelessness are grounded in racial equity.
"I wanted to dedicate my year as chair of the committee to identifying the resources we have in the region and developing a compact that identifies specific ways jurisdictions can work together effectively," said Nadeau. "The compact allows us to focus on the people we serve and ensuring that they are getting the services they need where they need them. And, it helps us ensure we aren't duplicating efforts across jurisdictions."
MORE: COG Board Resolution: Endorsing Expansion of Regional Coordination Efforts To Prevent and End Homelessness