Organizations survey Houston's homeless population

Several organizations are coming together Tuesday to count the homeless people in and around Houston.

Outreach workers began the count of the unsheltered homeless on Tuesday.  

The homeless who are in shelters were counted on Monday.

The count is required by the federal government in order to continue funding for Houston’s homeless programs but it serves other purposes, too.

“We are able to really survey people and get more of an in-depth understanding of people's situations and the barriers that are keeping them on the streets,” said Eva Thibaudeau-Graczyk, with Coalition for the Homeless.

Organizations working with the homeless also hope to learn how Hurricane Harvey affected people living in the streets.

“This year we are particularly anxious to see if it affected the actual number or just the location of where people may be staying,” said Marilyn Brown, CEO and president of Coalition for the Homeless.

For the next three days, the volunteers will continue their work. The results could bring both long-term and short term help.

“We also have the opportunity to literally connect people to housing in the moment of if you're a veteran, if you have been homeless for a long time and have a disabling condition,” Thibaudeau-Graczyk said. 

The homeless will be asked where they spent the night on Jan. 22 in order to create a snapshot of Houston’s homeless population. 

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