Keeping track of how many people are unhoused in Alaska’s cold interior is the reason for the “Point-in-Time” count. It is not a complete census, but more like a snapshot of who needs services on a day in January.
“So the point in time count is done as an unsheltered count and then a sheltered count. So people that are in emergency shelter or transitional housing will be counted by the agencies that they're staying with that night, the night of the 30th.”
Brynn Butler is the coalition’s new housing coordinator; she started in December. She described how the coalition will count the folks who are NOT in shelters.
“We have a group of people going out to do outreach into the encampments on Monday the 30th, at when the sun goes down,” Butler said.
That group will be mostly service veterans who are staying at the Fairbanks Rescue Mission.
Butler says she hopes to find everyone who needs services, because the numbers translate into money for the work.
“The whole point of point in time. Is to get as many people counted as possible. So we are getting the funding we need in Fairbanks to assist those that are experiencing homelessness.”
The pandemic caused a lot more homelessness in Fairbanks. The last count done here was in 2020. They counted 197 men, women and children in Fairbanks who had no permanent home. 6 of those folks were veterans.
20 of those were in transitional shelters. 123 were in Emergency Shelters like the Rescue Mission, Interior Alaska Center for Non-Violent Living, or The Door. 54 people had no shelter at all. It was -35°F the day of the 2020 count.
And providers estimate there are another hundred or more who are homeless in the Fairbanks area, but don’t come under the strict definition of homelessness that ignores people living in overcrowding situations or “couch surfers” who crash with friends a few days at a time.
The Fairbanks Housing and Homeless Coalition is meeting today (Thursday) to compare notes and keep up with the challenges of providing services. There are more than two dozen organizations involved, but they have very disparate missions. Each will add their services to the Homeless Connect fair on Tuesday at Pioneer Park Civic Center.
“We'll have Fairbanks Native Association there, with behavioral health services as well as their harm reduction and prevention services. Northern Hope Center with information about their drop-in center for people who are experiencing developmental disabilities. Helping Alaska will be there for housing applications.
The Literacy Council of Fairbanks will be there for education and career training. Housing First with TCC will be there, talking about their permanent supportive housing. Alaska Behavioral Health will be there for mental health services. The state of Alaska Department of Labor will be there for the Job Center. Tanana Chiefs Conference will be there for Tribal protective services. Ideal Option is a substance use treatment center. Interior AIDS will be there for HIV and hepatitis C testing.”
Interior Alaska Center for Non-Violent Living prevention team for awareness of sexual assault and domestic violence. Presbyterian Hospitality House will be there for their housing and access. State of Alaska Disability Services and, Public Health will be there for sexually transmitted disease screening
That’s fewer than half of the services offered Tuesday. Food will be served by the Breadline soup kitchen and there will also be free haircuts provided by Beyond the Mirror salon. Butler says there is a lot more work to getting people sheltered. The overnight count of people and the resource fair will set the stage for the rest of the year.
