WASHINGTON, D.C. – January 20, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — On January 26, The Governor’s Committee to End Homelessness (also known as the Missouri Interagency Council on Homelessness), Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC), numerous nonprofit and governmental agencies, and several faith-based organizations will join forces to conduct their Point-in-Time Count, a “snapshot” taken during one specific point in time of the number of unsheltered homeless individuals in the 101 rural counties constituting the Missouri Balance of State Continuum of Care.
“Identifying the homeless population is an essential step in combating the issue,” said Heather Bradley-Geary, the Community Initiatives Manager of MHDC. “We use the figures from these counts in making funding recommendations that will allow Missouri to fight homelessness on a statewide level.”
MHDC is the lead agency representing the Balance of State Continuum of Care. A continuum of care is a community plan to organize and deliver housing services to meet the specific needs of homeless persons as they move to stable housing and maximize self-sufficiency. Each of the metropolitan areas in Missouri (including St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles, Springfield, Joplin, Kansas City, and St. Joseph) has its own continuum of care, while the Balance of State Continuum of Care comprises the remaining 101 Missouri counties. In addition to the Point-in-Time Count conducted by the Balance of State Continuum of Care on January 26, each of the metro continua will conduct their own Point-in-Time counts in their respective communities during the last week of January.
“Although states are mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to conduct a Point-in-Time Count at least once every two years,” said Bradley-Geary, “Missouri actually holds two counts each year in order to obtain the most accurate data on our state’s homeless population.”
The next count will take place July 27, 2011. The results from the January 26 Point-in-Time Count will be available in the summer of 2011.
In addition to managing the Balance of State Continuum of Care, MHDC administers the Missouri Housing Trust Fund, oversees federal and state funding for the construction and rehabilitation of affordable rental housing, and offers low-interest mortgage loan programs for first-time homebuyers.
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