Nevada Outreach leading effort to count homeless in Nye and Esmeralda

The Nevada Outreach Training Organization is taking the lead for both Nye and Esmeralda counties in the annual “Point-In-Time” count of the homeless population, a process mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, more commonly referred to as HUD.

Nevada Outreach representatives will be out in the communities of both counties tomorrow, Thursday, Jan. 30 to gather as much data as they can on those experiencing homelessness. They will be conducting unsheltered/street counts, performing in-depth interviews, tallying sheltered/provider and school counts and will even attempt to count those who are homeless but may have spent the night in a motel, in order to compile the most accurate picture of the local homeless problem.

“Without a good count, we will not get grant dollars in here to help us,” Nevada Outreach Training Organization Executive Director Kathie McKenna told the Pahrump Valley Times. “If we can get a good, accurate count, that will help us funnel dollars into our communities. That’s what it’s all about.”

As detailed in information provided by HUD, “Since 2002, the Rural Nevada Continuum of Care, a coalition of agencies and organizations from each of the 15 rural counties, have worked together to end homelessness in rural Nevada. Since 2013 this work has resulted in over $3.5 million dollars in federal funding for homeless services in rural Nevada.

The grants we apply for require data, such as the number of people who are experiencing homelessness and living on the streets, in encampments, and using motels on a long-term basis to meet their housing needs.”

The “Point-In-Time” count is always conducted on a specific date during the last two weeks of January, a requirement that helps reduce duplicate information and creates a more precise picture of homelessness across the state.

“This count helps our coalition measure and monitor trends and changes in homelessness, track progress toward ending homelessness, help communities understand what resources are needed and strategize the best ways to use those resources to end homelessness,” the HUD information explains.

There are many questions that will be posed to those experiencing homelessness, all of which will be utilized in the future in the effort to secure grant funding to provide necessary services and programs to those in need. Questions will include basic information such as age range, gender and race, along with inquiries about health problems and disabilities. The in-depth interview also requests information such as education level, size of the person’s family, whether they are veterans and more.

McKenna said the organization is striving to collect and ready donation items such as hygiene products, sleeping bags and blankets that will be handed out to those who participate in the survey, as a thank you for their willingness to take part in such an important task.

“One of the big things this is for, and this is kind of a contentious issue in Pahrump, is a homeless shelter. There are a lot of people who really want one and there are a lot of people who really don’t want one,” McKenna stated. “My issue is, we have a homeless problem. I’m going to say there are about 60 to 100 homeless people here. Of that, 30 to 35 percent of them do not want to be homeless, but the rest of them do. They are comfortable with that lifestyle. They don’t want to worry about a job or responsibilities… And we can’t push our values on someone else.

“But I think we can make situations better,” McKenna continued. “I think there needs to be a homeless shelter here, the kind where they can show up at 5 p.m., they can shower, go to the bathroom and have a place to sleep, then in the morning they leave until the next evening. Something very simple, nothing elaborate.”

McKenna said she knows some people will refuse that offer of assistance, but for those who would actually utilize such a location, it could mean a big improvement in their lives overall.

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com