Advocates count Memphis' homeless population

MEMPHIS, TN (WMC) - Advocates hit the streets Wednesday to get an updated count on Shelby County’s homeless population.

Every year, communities across the country do their point-in-time report to document the city’s homeless population.

Coordinator Herman Dickey said the Point-in-Time count has several parts.

First, they get numbers from local shelters about who is sleeping there.

They host an expo for homeless youth to get a count.

Finally, they take to the streets to count those who are sleeping without shelter.

The numbers will then go to Washington, to the Department of Housing and Urban Development and Congress.

"They make the provisions for our programming here in Memphis and Shelby County. So we have to be able to demonstrate we have a need to justify the funding and the support we get," said Dickey.

Numbers are due in D.C. by March. Even during the shutdown, the group is fulfilling what they need to do to get funding.

In 2018, the Point-in-Time Report showed homelessness in Shelby County went down 41 percent in six years.

More than 1,200 people were dealing with homelessness.

No areas are missed. Advocates and volunteers use information from Memphis police, as well as the general public, reporting where they have seen people dealing with homelessness.

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