Frederick shares results from January survey of city's homeless population

Feb. 28—The city of Frederick counted 235 people during its January point-in-time census of the area's homeless population, the city's Department of Housing and Human Services shared this week.

That's a slight increase from the total recorded during last year's condensed count, which occurred during the first winter of the pandemic. In January of 2021, the city counted 225 unhoused people, 56 of whom were unsheltered.

This January, 34 of the 235 unhoused people the city identified were unsheltered, and 34 were children, according to a summary of the survey results shared by HHS Assistant Director Michele Ott Sunday evening.

Each year, Frederick's point-in-time census provides a snapshot of the city's homeless population on a certain day in January. This year, the city conducted the survey on Jan. 26.

In a process required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, HHS outreach workers and staff members from the Frederick County Health Department survey unhoused people standing along roadways and living in tent encampments. Programs that offer temporary housing in the city — the Religious Coalition, Rescue Mission and Heartly House, among others — conduct their own counts.

Apart from helping the city fulfill a federal requirement, the point-in-time census also gives outreach workers, shelter staff and Frederick residents a greater understanding of the people who are unhoused in their community.

During the survey, staff ask participants about their demographics — including information about their age, gender and veteran status — and experience with substance use, mental health issues and other factors that may have contributed to their homelessness.

Of the people city and county staff interviewed this year, 147 were men, 84 were women, and one was transgender.

Among the same population, most said they were either white (162) or Black, African American or African (77). Eight people reported being American Indian, Alaska Native or Indigenous; two reported being Asian or Asian American; and one said they were Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander.

Ott noted that some people surveyed reported more than one racial or ethnic background.

The largest age group represented among people interviewed was 45 to 54 years old; 46 belonged to this category, followed by those under 18 and those between 35 and 44 (categories that each included 34 people).

Eight people surveyed were veterans.

HHS is required to submit its survey results to HUD by Nov. 11, Ott said. The federal department will then publish a final report.

Follow Angela Roberts on Twitter: @24_angier