HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS COMMITTEE
AGENDA
SPECIAL MEETING
June 4, 2024, 12:00 p.m.
City Hall North Conference Room A
1600 Truxtun Avenue
Members
Committee Member Andrae Gonzales - Chair
Committee Member Eric Arias
Committee Member Ken Weir
1. ROLL CALL
2. PUBLIC STATEMENTS
a. Agenda Item Public Statements
b. Non-Agenda Item Public Statements
3. ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES
a. Adoption of April 23, 2024 regular meeting minutes
Staff recommends adoption of minutes.
4. STAFF REPORTS
a. April 2024 - Staff update on the City's efforts to addressing housing and homelessness
Staff recommends Committee receive and file report.
5. NEW BUSINESS
a. Presentation of 2024 Kern County Point in Time Count Report by BKRHC Staff recommends Committee receive and file presentation.
6. COMMITTEE COMMENTS
7. ADJOURNMENT
1 HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS COMMITTEE
MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
April 23, 2024, 12:00 p.m.
City Hall North Conference Room A
1600 Truxtun Avenue
Members Present: Committee Member Andrae Gonzales - Chair
Members Absent: Committee Member Eric Arias
Committee Member Ken Weir
City Staff:
Others Present:
Christian Clegg, City Manager
Jennifer Byers, Acting Economic Development Director
Juan Heredia, Administrative Analyst III
Julie Drimakis, City Clerk
Josh Rudnick, Deputy City Attorney
Joe Conroy, Public Information Officer
Jason Cater, Economic and Community Development Manager Michele Cruz, Management Assistant
Gary Halen, Assistant City Manager
Nicole Ruiz, Economic and Community Development Planner II Jessica Golden, Economic and Community Development Planner II
Jessica Armstrong, Kern Behavioral Recovery Services
John Donagan, The Bakersfield Californian
Wendell Wesley Jr., Community Member
Diahna James, Mercy House
Jim Wheeler, Flood Ministries
_____________________________________________________________________
1. ROLL CALL
Meeting was called to order at 12:14 p.m.
2. PUBLIC STATEMENTS
a. Agenda Item Public Statements
b. Non-Agenda Item Public Statements
Sandra Plascencia spoke regarding an eviction protection program.
2 Wendell Wesley spoke regarding the need for additional affordable housing.
Nataly Santamaria made comments regarding the housing and mental health crisis and the need for legal counsel in conjunction of the eviction protection program.
3. ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES
a. Adoption of March 26, 2024 regular meeting minutes
No action taken, due to lack of quorum.
Staff recommends adoption of minutes.
4. STAFF REPORTS
a. March 2024 - Staff update on the City's efforts to address housing and homelessness
Economic Development Director Byers made staff comments.
Administrative Analyst Heredia made additional staff comments.
City Manager Clegg made additional staff comments.
No action taken, due to lack of quorum.
Staff recommends Committee receive and file report.
5. NEW BUSINESS
a. Proposition 1 Behavior Health Services Program and Bond Measure City Manager Clegg introduced Jessica Armstrong, Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services who made comments and provided a PowerPoint presentation.
Report only, no action taken.
Councilmember Gonzales referred to staff to start a conversation with KBHRS to take advantage of the future funding stream and collaborate to move projects forward.
No action taken, due to lack of quorum.
Staff recommends Committee receive and file presentation.
1. PowerPoint presentation from Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Department
6. COMMITTEE COMMENTS
7. ADJOURNMENT
Meeting was adjourned at 1:05 p.m.
3 _________________________
ANDRAE GONZALES, CHAIR
JULIE DRIMAKIS, CITY CLERK
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
MEETING DATE: June 4, 2024 AGENDA CATEGORY:
TO: Housing and Homelessness Committee
FROM: Christian Clegg, City Manager
DATE: May 17, 2024
SUBJECT: April 2024 – Staff update on the City’s efforts to addressing housing and homelessness
[Document Description]
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends Committee receive and file report.
BACKGROUND:
The City Manager’s Office, Economic & Community Development Department, and the Bakersfield Police Department provide a monthly report to the Housing & Homelessness Committee. The monthly report provides data on housing, homelessness, and the Community Vitality Initiative.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no impact to the General Fund.
COUNCIL GOAL:
Safety and Resilience
ATTACHMENTS:
Housing & Homelessness Monthly Report – April 2024
1 | Page
Housing & Homelessness Committee Monthly Report
April 2024
HOUSING
The City of Bakersfield’s Development Services Department collects data on the number of residential housing unit permits that were issued which signify the beginning of development of new housing.
Housing Type April 2024 2024 Housing Summary
Single Family Residence (SFR) 103 457
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) 8 20
Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit (JADU) 0 1
SFR + ADU 7 26
SFR + JADU 1 8
SFR + ADU + JADU 1 0
Duplexes 0 68 (136 units)
Duplex + ADU 0 0
Condominium 0 0
Multi-Family Residential (MFR) 0 0
3-4 Unit Building 0 0 (0 units)
5 or more Building 0 0 (0 units)
Total SFR 120 512
Total MFR 0 136
Total Dwelling Units 120 648
The City contracts with Habitat for Humanity and Staples Energy for the Home Repair and Weatherization Program. This program helps qualified homeowners receive home repair and weatherization improvements.
April 2024
Contractor Under Construction Monthly Completed 2024 Summary Habitat for Humanity 5 4 7
Staples Energy 4 3 5
2 | Page
HOMELESSNESS
The City of Bakersfield contracts with Flood Ministries for street outreach services to unsheltered individuals.
April Report
Contacts with Homeless Individuals Weekly Average
Contacts with homeless individuals in the field 223
Unique Contacts with homeless individuals in the field 181 Service Acceptance and Resistance Monthly Total
Shelter Referrals 592
Referred individuals who accepted shelter 265
Referred individuals who refused shelter 327
Percentage of individuals refusing service 55%
Turn-Aways Weekly Average
City’s Brundage Lane Navigation Center (BLNC) turn-aways due to lack of dorm or pet capacity (includes field contacts, walk-in, and call-ins) 76 BLNC turn-aways due to lack of dorm capacity 67
Male 36
Female 22
Couple (# of individuals) 8
BLNC turn-aways due to lack of pet capacity 9
Male 3
Female 3
Couple (# of individuals) 3
Transportation to Homeless Shelters Monthly Total
Total Transported 93
Transported to Brundage Lane Navigation Center 63
Transported to Open Door Network 6
Transported to The Mission 24
The City of Bakersfield contracts with the Open Door Network for a jobs program serving multiple City functions. The City also funded an Open Door Network Jobs Center building near Downtown Bakersfield.
April Report April Total Calendar YTD Max. Capacity % Filled Newly Hired Employees 0 10 -- --
Current Employees 94 -- 60 157%
Male 31 -- -- --
Female 63 -- -- --
Program Participants Placed in
Permanent Jobs 2 5 -- --
3 | Page
68 247
192
168
141
29 0
50 100
150
200
250
300
1-7 Days 8-30 Days 31-90 Days 91-180 Days 181-365 Days >365 Days Shelter Stays Fiscal Year to Date
Average Length of Stay
Mercy House Average Length of Stay
Fiscal Year-to-Date
The City of Bakersfield contracts with Mercy House to operate all aspects of the City’s Brundage Lane Navigation Center (BLNC).
April Report Weekly
Average
Maximum
Capacity
% of Capacity
Filled Weekly
City’s Brundage Lane Navigation Center beds filled 244 249* 98% Male 107 109 98%
Female 88 90 98%
Couple (# of individuals) 49 50 98%
Permanent Housing Placements Monthly Total To Date
Number of Placements 5 359
* BLNC’s current maximum capacity is 249 beds. Each night four (4) beds are held open for the Bakersfield Police Department to utilize which brings the functional capacity to 245.
4 | Page
March 2024
Source Number of Calls Percent
CAD 746 95%
Internal 33 4%
Council 7 1%
Multiple Sources 2 0%
Total 788 100%
Call Sources Over Time
Month CAD Internal Council Multiple
December 2023 654 16 13 -
January 2024 569 11 2 7
February 2024 765 22 11 2
March 2024 714 12 11 15
COMMUNITY VITALITY
Call Sources___________________
CAD
95%
Internal
4%
Council
1%
Multiple
Sources
0%
654
569
765
714
16 11 22 1213 2 11 117 2 15
0 100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
Dec-23 Jan-24 Feb-24 Mar-24
Number of Calls
Month
Call Sources Over Time
CAD Internal Council Multiple
5 | Page
Call Types and Team Response
April 2024
Encampment Lewd
Conduct Loitering Transient Trash Trespassing Total %
Code 20 - 2 11 - 8 41 4%
Flood 41 - 18 104 - 2 165 15%
Impact 180 1 326 155 - 57 719 66%
RRT 9 - - - 2 - 11 1%
Multiple 46 - 17 76 - 10 149 14%
Total 296 1 363 346 2 77 936 100%
% 27% 0% 33% 32% 0% 7% 100%
20 2 11 8
41 18
104
2 180
1 326
155
57 9 2
46 17
76 10
0 50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Encampment Lewd
Conduct
Loitering Transient Trash Trespassing
Number of Calls
April 2024
Code Flood Impact RRT Multiple
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
MEETING DATE: June 4, 2024 AGENDA CATEGORY:
TO: Housing and Homelessness Committee
FROM: Christian Clegg, City Manager
DATE: May 16, 2024
SUBJECT: Presentation of 2024 Kern County Point in Time Count Report by Bakersfield Kern Regional Homeless Collaborative (BKRHC)
[Document Description]
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends Committee receive and file presentation.
BACKGROUND:
The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires Continuums-of-Care conduct biennial Point in Time (PIT) counts of sheltered and unsheltered individuals experiencing homelessness within their geographic area. The Bakersfield Kern Regional Homeless Collaborative (BKRHC) oversees the Point in Time Count for over 8,100 square miles in Kern County. Through a community-wide effort, BKRHC conducts annual PIT counts to identify changes within the homeless delivery system and understand the needs within the community.
BKRHC conducted the 2024 PIT Count from January 24, 2024 through January 27, 2024. BKHRC recruited and trained dozens of volunteers to conduct in -person interviews of individuals experiencing homelessness and used an ArcGI S Survey 123 application to log the information. BKHRC staff collected, cleaned, deduplicated, and verified the data to ensure consistency, compliance, and reliability.
The 2024 PIT Count found a total of 2,669 homeless individuals with 1006 sheltered individuals and 1663 unsheltered individuals. This is a 37 percent increase in the total number of homeless individuals when compared to the 1948 total from the 2023 PIT Count.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact on the General Fund.
COUNCIL GOAL:
Safety and Resilience
ATTACHMENTS:
Kern County Point in Time Count Report - 2024
KERN COUNTY
POINT IN TIME COUNT
2024 REPORT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 4 Methodology ................................................................................................................................................. 4 Current and Comparative Data ..................................................................................................................... 5 Key Findings .................................................................................................................................................. 6 Population Demographics ......................................................................................................................... 6 Living Accommodations and Duration for Unsheltered Homeless Population ......................................... 8 Perceived Causes of Unsheltered Homelessness ..................................................................................... 10 Health and Unsheltered Homelessness ................................................................................................... 10 Special Populations of Interest ................................................................................................................ 10 Additional Homeless Populations ........................................................................................................... 11 Unsheltered Population Distribution for Kern County ............................................................................ 11 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................... 12 Appendix A: Definitions ............................................................................................................................. 13 Appendix B: Unsheltered Count Density Maps by City .............................................................................. 14 Appendix C: Historical PIT Count Data by Household Composition .......................................................... 23
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Acknowledgements
The Bakersfield-Kern Regional Homeless Collaborative (BKRHC) Point in Time (PIT) Count Committee would like to thank all the individuals and partner agencies who contributed to this endeavor and whose efforts were instrumental in the success of the count. Over 421 volunteers registered to participate in the 202 4 PIT Count . Employees from the County of Kern, City of Bakersfield, homeless service providers, and community organizations gave their time with several aspects of planning, implementing, and conducting the count.
Thank you to the Mission at Kern for providing logistics space for the PIT Count, to the PIT Committee members and committee chair Manuel Vieyra with Flood Ministries of Bakersfield for providing leadership and guidance in planning for such a huge community event, to partners with lived experience of homelessness for gifting us with insight where it was needed, and to the BKRHC staff for their commitment and support to the work.
Thank you to Suzanne Baehr and the amazing Kern County GIS team for supporting the app survey work and data needs of the PIT Count volunteers.
Thank you to City and County partners in government, code enforcement, fire/emergency services, law enforcement, parks and recreation, human services, public works, and aging and adult services for helping navigate through the work.
Thank you to Dr. Ashleigh Herrera with California State University of Bakersfield (CSUB) for providing Narcan training for all volunteers and other CSUB members for participating during the count.
A special thank you to the Kern County community who took part in the count and showed that, through collaboration, we can continue to do amazing work.
A huge t hank you to all the participating organizations who provided their time, energy, and support to the Kern County 2024 PIT Count, including volunteers from:
Adventist Health Akido Labs Anthem Blue Cross Bakersfield American Indian Health Project Bakersfield College Bakersfield Recovery Services Be Finally Free CA Mentors California State University Bakersfield California Veterans Assistance Foundation City of Arvin City of Bakersfield City of Ridgecrest City of Wasco City Serve Clinica Sierra Vista Community Action Partnership of Kern Community College Services Community Vitality County of Kern Cushman & Wakefield Darlene Denison Insurance Agency Department of Corrections Department of Human Services Department of Veterans Affairs Employers’ Training Resource
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Fairfax School District Flood Ministries Garden Pathways Greater Bakersfield Legal Association Gogo Marketing Good Samaritan Hospital Habitat For Humanity Health Net Housing Authority of the County of Kern Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services Kern County Assessor Kern County Grand Jury Kern County Superintendent of Schools Kern Health Systems Kern High School District Kern Medical Lamont Elementary School District LifeHouse Church Maturango Museum Mercedes of Bakersfield Mercy House No Sister Left Behind Office of Assemblywoman Dr. Jasmeet Bains Omni Family Health Pathways Redeem Home Rosedale School District Stewards Inc. Tech-Time Communications Inc. Telecare Corporation Temple Beth The Dream Center The Garden Living at Mill Creek The Open- Door Network Tulare Basin Watershed Partnership Network United Way of Central Eastern California Victory Outreach Wasco Free Will Baptist Church Wescom Credit Union Women's Center High Desert
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Adult Adults with
Children
Children Total
* List includes race and ethnicity only or race and ethnicity with Hispanic/Latina/e/o combinations.
Kern County 2024 PIT Count Summary
The 2024 Point-in-Time Count was an endeavor taken on by a dedicated group of individuals and volunteers through a community -wide effort to cover Kern County. The count conducted from January 24th through 27th comprised a single night shelter count and a three-day unsheltered count.
2024 KERN COUNTY SHELTERED
/ UNSHELTERED POPULATIONS
38% 62%
SHELTERED UNSHELTERED
1006 individuals 1663 individuals
2022 1361 75 167 1603
2023 1747 76 125 1948
2024 2450 85 134 2669
HOUSEHOLDS COMPOSITION
ADULTS WITH NO CHILDREN
33% 67%
Sheltered Unsheltered
2450 Individuals
ADULTS WITH CHILDREN
80% 20%
Sheltered Unsheltered
85 Individuals
CHILDREN ONLY
99% 1%
Sheltered Unsheltered
134 Individuals
SUB-POPULATIONS
CHRONICALLY
HOMELESS
41%
Sheltered
324 Individuals
59%
Unsheltered
457 Individuals
VETERANS
47%
Sheltered
44 Individuals
53%
Unsheltered
49 Individuals
YOUTH
41%
Sheltered
61 Individuals
59%
Unsheltered
86 Individuals
AGE
Under 18 years 6% – 146 individuals
18 – 24 6% – 147 individuals
25 – 34 22% – 595 individuals
35 – 44 28% – 744 individuals
45 – 54 18% – 488 individuals
55 – 64 15% – 406 individuals
65 years and older 5% – 143 individuals
GENDER
WOMAN MAN CULTURALLY
SPECIFIC TRANSGENDER
33.09% 66.54% 0.04% 0.11%
NON-BIN DIFFERENT IDENTITY MULTIPLE
0.07% 0.04% 0.11%
RACE & ETHNICITY *
AMERICAN INDIAN, ALASKA NATIVE, OR
INDIGENOUS 2.4%
ASIAN OR ASIAN AMERICAN 0.9%
BLACK, AFRICAN AMERICAN, OR AFRICAN 15.8%
HISPANIC/LATINA/E/O 25.6%
MIDDLE EASTERN OR NORTH AFRICAN 0.1%
NATIVE HAWAIIAN OR PACIFIC ISLANDER 0.9%
WHITE 51.5%
MULTIPLE RACES 2.8%
2022 – 2024 HOMELESS POPULATION COUNTS
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Introduction
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines homelessness as individuals who lack resources and support networks to obtain permanent housing and can be categorized as those who are literally homeless, imminently homeless, unaccompanied youth or families with children/youth, and individuals or families fleeing or attempting to flee various forms of violence such as domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, sexual assault, or other life-threatening conditions.
The nationally conducted PIT Count is an annual snapshot of sheltered and unsheltered individuals experiencing homelessness within a geographic area. Specifically, Kern County covers over 8,100 square miles with a variety of ecosystems ranging from high deserts, chaparral-laden mountains, and fertile agricultural land within the valley.
Although HUD requires Continuums of Care (CoC) to conduct counts biennially, the B akersfield- Kern Regional Homeless Collaborative completes an annual count to identify changes within the homeless delivery system and understand the needs within the community.
Methodology
The 2024 PIT Count utilized a HUD approved methodology for conducting interviews for individuals experiencing homelessness in Kern County that ensures consistency allowing a meaningful analysis and standard. The methodology involves a combination of interviews, surveys, and observations by trained volunteers. The shelter count was completed using a survey hosted within the ArcGIS Survey 123 application, a geographic information system that works by collecting data via survey administration, and occurred on the night of Tuesday, January 23, 2024.
The unsheltered count was completed the following morning on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, utilizing the unsheltered version of the survey application, which was also hosted within ArcGIS Survey 123.
BKRHC PIT Committee and Governing Board approved two (2) additional days to continue the count for encampment areas along the Kern River and the Rural areas. Flood Ministries Outreach Team searched and conducted interviews. These efforts aimed to identify unsheltered individuals and families who may not have been identified on Wednesday, January 23, 2024.
There was no change in the methodology due to the need to have an accurate data comparison for three consecutive years. We pursued the updated guidance provided by HUD, including several required contingencies to ensure surveys were not duplicated on individuals already surveyed on prior days. These measures inc luded comparison of personally identifiable information including name, date of birth, demographic information, current living situation and survey screening questions (e.g., have you already been surveyed).
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The PIT count utilizes an in- person interview of individuals experiencing homelessness throughout Kern County. For those individuals who were not able to complete a survey, various account methods are used in situations where it was impossible or unsafe for a volunteer to survey an individual. An observational survey was completed and trained outreach staff conducted interviews on two additional days for accuracy. For instances where demographic (gender, race, ethnicity) data could not be collected, a dat a resource known as the HUD data extrapolation tool was used to obtain missing data extrapolated from the data that was present.
The data collected is compiled and undergoes a thorough process that included scrubbing/cleaning, deduplication, error- checking within the extrapolation tool, analysis, post analysis review, and entry into HUD's reporting system (HUD Data Exchange – HDX 2.0), which conducts automated, real-time error tracking. Any errors in HUD's reporting system were caught and corrected before the data submission could be completed.
Even prior to official submission to HUD, the data and report s are reviewed with the CoC's Governing and Executive Boards.
Current and Comparative Data
During the 2024 PIT Count a total of 2669 individuals were counted, 1006 comprised sheltered individuals and 1 663 comprised unsheltered individuals . This is a 37% increase in the total number of individuals when compared to the 2023 PIT Count (1948 individuals) (see Appendix C Table 6).
The year over year difference resulted in the sheltered count increasing by 8% while the unsheltered count trended upward with an increase of 64 %. A few potential factors that contributed to these changes include:
1) The two additional days that interviews were conducted on the riverbeds and rural communities contributed to a more accurate unsheltered count. 2) The drastic change in the weather conditions from the low 30s in 2023 to the high 50s in 2024 meant fewer people sought shelter during this time. 3) The increase in the number of volunteers who participated in the 2024 PIT Count and extensive pre-planning efforts and training.
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Figure 1. Total homeless population by PIT year.
Sheltered and unsheltered status by PIT year.
Figure 2. Comparison of sheltered (blue) and unsheltered (green) populations by PIT year.
Key Findings
Population Demographics
Age
Children (under 18 years) and youth (aged 18 – 24) comprised 5% and 6% of the total sheltered and unsheltered homeless populations respectively, while adults (aged 25 and older) comprised the remaining 89% of the population. Specifically, exactly half of the entire homeless population counted consisted of adults between the ages of 25 – 44 and approximately 5% of individuals experiencing sheltered or unsheltered homelessness were considered elderly ( 143 individuals aged 65 or older).
885
1330
1580
2150
1603
1948
2669
2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Total Homeless Population by PIT Year
36%
64%
2020
55%
45%
2022
48%52%
2023
38%
62%
2024
Page | 7
Figure 3. Age Brackets for Homeless Population
Gender
Historically, individuals who identify as male make up the majority of the homeless population.
This year the total for males was 66.54% of the total population. Females accounted for 33.08%, while individuals identifying as culturally specific, different identity, multiple genders, non-binary, and transgender comprised a collective total of 0.37% of the population. Specific population percentages are indicated in the figure below (Figure 4).
Figure 4. Gender Distribution of Homeless Population
5% 6%
22%
28%
18%
15%
5%
Under 18 18 - 24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55 - 64 65 years and over
Age
Female
33.08%
Male
66.54%
Culturally Specific
Identity
0.04%
Transgender
0.11% Non-Binary
0.07%
Different Identity
0.04%
Multiple Gender
0.11%
Gender
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Ethnicity and Race
During their last review of PIT count collection criteria, HUD made the decision to consolidate the ethnicity and race categories to be more inclusive and indicative of individuals’ specific ethnic and racial representation. The result is a combination of ethnicity and race where specific combinations could include the ethnicity and race alone, the ethnicity and race with included Hispanic/Latina/e/o representation, or multiple selections.
The majority of our counted homeless population identified as White (only)(39.6%) and Hispanic/Latina/e/o (only)(25.6%). Individuals who identified as Black, African American, or African (only) represented 15.3% of the population, while those who identified as White & Hispanic/Latina/e/o were counted at 12.0%. All other ethnicity and race populations account for
2.1% or less of the total population (see Table 1).
Table 1. Age Breakdown Among Sheltered and Unsheltered Homeless Population.
Ethnicity & Race Sheltered Unsheltered All People
American Indian, Alaska Native, or Indigenous
(only) 1.1% 2.4% 1.9%
American Indian, Alaska Native, or Indigenous &
Hispanic/Latina/e/o 1.1% 0.1% 0.5%
Asian or Asian American (only) 0.9% 0.8% 0.8%
Asian or Asian American & Hispanic/Latina/e/o 0.1% 0.1% 0.1% Black, African American, or African (only) 16.8% 14.4% 15.3% Black, African American, or African &
Hispanic/Latina/e/o 1.1% 0.1% 0.5%
Hispanic/Latina/e/o (only) 8.3% 36.1% 25.6%
Middle Eastern or North African (only) 0.0% 0.2% 0.1%
Middle Eastern or North African &
Hispanic/Latina/e/o 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (only) 0.7% 0.5% 0.6% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander &
Hispanic/Latina/e/o 0.5% 0.1% 0.3%
White (only) 36.3% 41.6% 39.6%
White & Hispanic/Latina/e/o 30.0% 1.0% 12.0%
Multi-Racial & Hispanic/Latina/e/o 1.3% 0.2% 0.6%
Multi-Racial (all other) 1.9% 2.2% 2.1%
Living Accommodations and Duration for Unsheltered Homeless Population The majority of unsheltered individuals that provided a response to their current living situation resulted in an overwhelming majority living outdoors, typically in places not meant for human habitation including parks, encampments, the riverbed area, behind buildings, and along canals
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or alleyways. Unsheltered individuals encountered during the PIT count were also currently living in abandoned buildings, cars, or garages.
Figure 5. Current living situation for unsheltered individuals.
There were 380 individuals who experienced first time homelessness and were also interviewed during the unsheltered homeles s count . As for length of current episode for unsheltered homelessness, those who have been homeless for a year or more (see Figure 6 ) had the highest count.
Figure 6. Count of length of current episode of unsheltered homelessness.
69 104
18 915
Abandoned building Car Garage Outdoors
Current Living Situation
590
127
38 21
15 4
1 year or more
3 months to 1year
1 to 3 months
1 week to 1month
2 to 6 nights
1 night or less
Length of Current Episode of Unsheltered Homelessness
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Perceived Causes of Unsheltered Homelessness
Data on perceived causes of homelessness was collected from 724 unsheltered respondents who provided a response to this survey question. The top causes were health, mental health, and substance use disorder related reasons ( 178), household or family issues ( 176), employment related causes such as lack of wages, job loss, or lack of jobs (155), and mortgage or rent related issues (136). Other potential causes of homelessness include incarceration or personal choice.
Health and Unsheltered Homelessness
There was a total of 224 individuals who self-reported health conditions within the unsheltered population that ranged from a single disease or morbidity to as high as seven (7) co-morbidities.
These diseases include asthma, diabetes, heart disease, hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and valley fever.
Table 2. Morbidity and Co-Morbidity within the Unsheltered Homeless Population.
Number of Self-Reported Diseases (Morbidities) Count
1 162
2 40
3 12
4 6
5 2
6 0
7 2
Health insurance data was again included as part of the survey questions for this year's PIT count.
Access to healthcare is a major social determinant of health and access to healthcare insurance is an important factor in resolving one’s homelessness. During this year’s count, the number of individuals who provided a response regarding health insuranc e increased (349 in 2023 versus 499 in 2024). The data revealed an increase in the number of those experiencing unsheltered homelessness who have Medi-Cal or Medicare compared to last year.
Table 3. Insurance Among the Unsheltered Homeless Population.
Insurance Type
Medi-Cal 448 Veterans administration 4
Medicare 30 Other 16
State health insurance 1
Special Populations of Interest
Three particular populations of interest within the overall homeless population include individuals who are chronically homeless, those with current or prior military service, and individuals aged between 18 – 24 years (youth). The count for these populations is listed below.
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Table 4. Count of Homeless Populations of Interest.
Homeless Populations of Interest Sheltered Unsheltered
Chronically homeless 324 457
Veterans 44 49
Youth 61 86
Additional Homeless Populations
Other populations of focus for individuals experiencing homelessness include those with self- reported mental illness, substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, and those who identify as survivors of domestic violence (see Table 5).
Mental Illness
There was a total of 325 adults who self -reported a serious mental illness. More un sheltered individuals reported a serious mental illness than their sheltered counterparts.
Substance Use Disorder
458 individuals in the homeless population self -reported a substance use disorder with the majority also being unsheltered. Substance use disorder ranges from alcohol, drug, or alcohol and drug use.
HIV/AIDS
There was an equal number of individuals who self-reported living with HIV/AIDS that were also experiencing sheltered and unsheltered homelessness with 20 respondents.
Domestic Violence Survivors
There were more unsheltered individuals who identified and self -reported as survivors of domestic violence than those that were sheltered, 110 to 45 individuals, respectively.
Table 5. Count of Additional Homeless Populations.
Additional Homeless Populations Sheltered Unsheltered
Adults with a serious mental illness 30 295
Adults with a substance use disorder 149 309
Adults with HIV/AIDS 10 10
Adult survivors of domestic violence 45 110
Unsheltered Population Distribution for Kern County
The included density maps provide an overall view of the homeless population spread throughout Kern County and within metropolitan areas. Additionally, count totals are divided up by City. Please see Appendix B for additional information.
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Conclusion
Homelessness is solvable in Kern County and efforts are being made to reduce the number of people experiencing homelessness at any given time. The PIT Count is a critical component to address homelessness and BKRHC will use the data to gain understanding o f the county’s state of homelessness to strive for solutions that prevent homelessness and provide housing stability for all. This information will be used to inform the collaborative efforts with city, county, government, and service providing organizatio ns to strategically plan and effectively allocate funds for developing permanent housing and resources throughout the county.
The PIT Count is a crucial endeavor that shows us that, through collaboration, our community is capable of doing amazing things to improve the quality of life for all Kern County residents.
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Appendix A: Definitions
Adult
An individual who is aged 25 and older.
Bakersfield-Kern Regional Homeless Collaborative (BKRHC) The primary entity charged with responsibility for overseeing CoC functions as mandated by HUD, including submission of the annual CoC Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), HMIS oversight, Point In Time Count, Housing Inventory Chart, as well as other annual reports.
Chronically Homeless Individual
An individual or family head of household with one or more disabling conditions who has been continuously homeless for 1 or more years and/or experienced 4 or more episodes of homelessness in the last 3 years.
Families
A household that consists of at least one adult who is 18 years of age or older and at least one child who is under 18 years of age.
Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
The U.S. Department that funds low- income and affordable housing initiatives, including the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, through the HUD Continuum of Care Program and Emergency Solutions Grant Program.
Point In Time (PIT) Count
The Point -in-Time (PIT) count is a count of sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January.
Sheltered Homelessness
A state of homelessness where an individual is currently residing in an emergency shelter, navigation center, or transitional housing.
Unsheltered Homelessness
A state of homelessness where an individual is currently residing in a place not meant for human habitation including abandoned buildings, vehicles, park benches, sidewalks, or encampments.
Unaccompanied Youth
Youth under the age of 18 and individuals between 18 through 24 years of age experiencing homelessness and without a parent or legal guardian.
Veteran
An individual who has served on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States.
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Appendix B: Unsheltered Count Density Maps by City
Figure 7. Density map of Kern County for the 2024 Point-in-Time Count.
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Figure 8. Density map of metropolitan Bakersfield for the 2024 Point-in-Time Count.
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Figure 10. Density map of Arvin for the 2024 Point-in-Time Count.
Figure 9. Density map of Delano for the 2024 Point-in-Time Count.
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Figure 11. Density map of Lamont for the 2024 Point-in-Time Count.
Figure 12. Density map of Shafter for the 2024 Point-in-Time Count.
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Figure 14. Density map of Tehachapi for the 2024 Point-in-Time Count.
Figure 13. Density map of Taft for the 2024 Point-in-Time Count.
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Figure 15. Density map of Bodfish and Lake Isabella for the 2024 Point-in-Time Count.
Figure 16. Density map of Wofford Heights for the 2024 Point-in-Time Count.
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Figure 17. Density map of Frazier Park for the 2024 Point-in-Time Count.
Figure 18. Density map of Mojave for the 2024 Point-in-Time Count.
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Figure 19. Density map of Inyokern and Ridgecrest for the 2024 Point-in-Time Count.
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Figure 20. Density map of Rosamond for the 2024 Point-in-Time Count.
Figure 21. Density map of Wasco for the 2024 Point-in-Time Count.
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Appendix C: Historical PIT Count Data by Household Composition
Table 6. Metropolitan and Rural Data by Shelter Status By Area and Shelter Status Adults Adults w/
Children Children Total People
Metro Bakersfield – Sheltered 794 59 116 969
Rural Sheltered 11 9 17 37
Total County Sheltered 805 68 133 1006
Metro Bakersfield – Unsheltered 1318 5 1 1324
Rural Unsheltered 259 2 0 261
Location Not Indicated 68 10 0 78
Total County Unsheltered 1645 17 1 1663
Total Metro Bakersfield 2112 64 117 2293
Total Rural 270 11 17 298
Location Not Indicated 68 10 0 78
2024 Combined Total 2450 85 134 2669
2023 Total 1747 76 125 1948
2022** Total 1361 75 167 1603
**2022 PIT Count utilized a single day unsheltered count.
Table 7. 2024 Unsheltered PIT Count Totals by City
City Count
Arvin 26
Bakersfield 1202
Bodfish 2
Delano 86
Ford City 1
Frazier Park 3
Inyokern 1
Lake Isabella 16
Lamont 13
Mojave 7
Oildale 122
Ridgecrest 9
Rosamond 8
Shafter 2
Taft 39
Tehachapi 11
Wasco 35
Wofford Heights 2