Point-in-time count: Number of people unhoused in Brown County surges from last year

GREEN BAY- Overnight on Wednesday, Newcap , a local nonprofit in Green Bay that addresses homelessness, partnered with the Brown County Homeless and Housing Coalition to lead its Point in Time Count — a count of the number people who are unhoused in Green Bay.

The count is conducted twice a year — once in January and once in July — to determine how many people are unhoused at that time. Volunteers go to parks, parking lots and other areas where individuals experiencing homelessness typically stay in hopes of connecting them with resources.

Newcap will continue counting through the rest of the month for its service-based count, which gives those who were not found during Point in Time Count an opportunity to be included in the final numbers, according to Meaghan Gleason, Newcap’s funder expert and the Brown County Point in Time lead.

What were the results during this year's counts?

On Wednesday night, 84 people experiencing homelessness were counted, but it was an increase from 63 people during the July 2023 count, Gleason said.

Last July, the total number of individuals counted during the point-in-time count and the service-based count combined was 125. The numbers from this July could continue to increase, with the service-based count ending at 5 p.m. July 31, Gleason said.

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In January, 38 people were found the night of the point-in-time count, with a total of 86 after the service-based count period ended, Gleason said. The lower numbers in January are likely due to the increase in available shelter beds in the winter.

The data collected through the counts by local volunteers contribute to the Annual Homelessness Assessment Report, which is provided to the U.S. Congress and the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development.

What's being done to address homelessness in Green Bay following the counts?

This year, more individuals experiencing homelessness were found than families. One of the most common factors Newcap has seen, which could be driving the increase in numbers, is a lack of affordable housing, Gleason said.

Volunteers count both individuals and families experiencing homelessness and living in emergency shelters, transitional housing and domestic violence shelters, among others. They also count those who are unsheltered and living anywhere not meant for human habitation.

The volunteers help to connect the people they find during the counts with shelter and resources to support them as they secure basic needs like housing and transportation, according to Lola Skenandore, a volunteer and the community resource navigator for Brown County United Way , a non-profit partnered with Newcap for the count.

Volunteers are provided training by Newcap months prior to the point-in-time count to ensure they are prepared to volunteer, Skenandore said.

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"One big thing that they stress a lot is your safety," Skenandore said. "But then another is just showing up with empathy and just understanding the sensitive nature of the situation and try to connect them as best you can."

Katie Genthe, a first-time volunteer at the point-in-time count, said spreading awareness about homelessness in Green Bay, and connecting people with resources drove her involvement.

"I think that a lot of people in Green Bay don't realize that it is a problem here," Genthe said. "I wanted to see it more on a personal level because when you see it with your own eyes you get a little more passionate about it."

Alyssa N. Salcedo is a reporter for the Green Bay Press-Gazette. She can be reached at asalcedo@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Point-in-time count: Number of people unhoused in Brown County surges from last year