Other statistics from the survey note in Santa Paula 100 percent were counted on the street; one senior (1 percent) was a senior 62 years or older, and six persons (8 percent) were youths between the ages of 18 and 24. Sixty-four percent surveyed were adult men and 36 percent were adult women, with 67 percent identifying themselves as Hispanic or Latino, 32 percent white and 1 percent (one person) surveyed answering other. Sixty-four percent of adults contacted said they are California natives.Of the total 2,193 homeless counted in Ventura County, 13 were in Camarillo, four in Fillmore, seven in Moorpark, 60 in Ojai, 679 in Oxnard, one in Port Hueneme, 303 in Simi Valley, 147 in Thousand Oaks and 623 in Ventura. There were 265 persons contacted in the unincorporated areas of the county that said they were homeless.“There’s a lot of work left to do, and with the economy” Juarez fears the number of homeless will “only get worse... there is a 10-year plan” to end homelessness in Ventura County, and the survey was part of the process to determine housing, employment and other needs. “We’re hoping they will help themselves when society extends its hand,” as, Juarez noted, “it’s not up to us to fix it, but rather we just offer the help” to ensure there are options to being homeless.Many of the homeless surveyed throughout the county stated they had stayed in the area where they formerly had shelter. The survey also stated that the number of individuals and families at risk of becoming homeless has risen dramatically, and that prevention is the best defense.There probably are four times as many people who are homeless than those counted, because experts agree only 25 percent are likely to be on the streets at a given time. That means the actual number in Ventura County could be 8,000, a figure in line with federal estimates that 1 percent of an area’s population is homeless. In January it was reported the county’s total population was 836,000.Juarez noted that using the federal estimates Santa Paula’s actual homeless count would be at least 300.
Santa Paula’s homeless population declines, at least for 2009 survey
June 10, 2009
Santa Paula News
Those counted in January that live in Ventura County but are without a place to call home included 91 homeless surveyed in Santa Paula, according to the report sponsored by the Ventura County Homeless and Housing Coalition.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesThose counted in January that live in Ventura County but are without a place to call home included 91 homeless surveyed in Santa Paula, according to the report sponsored by the Ventura County Homeless and Housing Coalition. The count found that although Santa Paula’s counted homeless declined, overall Ventura County’s homeless population has grown by 12 percent since 2007 to 2,193, with 84 percent adults and 16 percent children.Santa Paulans visited area parks, riverbeds and other areas of the city for the 2009 Homeless Count, held January 27. Cathy Brudnicki, executive director of the Ventura County Homeless and Housing Coalition, coordinated the countywide count, sponsored locally by the Santa Paula Ministerial Association.Every two years a count is held in cities across the nation to provide data on those living outdoors, at shelters and in vehicles. Federal officials use the findings to calculate how much taxpayer money allocated to end homelessness should be distributed. Ventura County officials were hoping to qualify for about $2 million to take care of homeless residents, many who lived locally before they found themselves without a place to call home.“In reality, we know there were people we missed that we knew were homeless,” said Carlos Juarez, a Santa Paula police lieutenant, who was the chairman of the local effort to count the homeless. “If we had more time we probably would have had a more accurate count.”The survey results noted 97 homeless persons were counted in 2007, and the 91 counted this year reflect a 6.2 percent decline. In 2007, 25 women, 49 men and 23 children were counted, and in January 2009 26 women, 47 men and 18 children surveyed reported being homeless. Twelve families were counted as homeless in 2007, and this year seven families - all with one parent - were contacted.
