San Diego County’s annual Point-in-Time Count serves as a snapshot of people experiencing homelessness and helps provide a sense of the overall scope of the problem in our communities. But it also serves a more lasting, impactful purpose.
On Jan. 25, hundreds of volunteers awoke long before their alarm clock normally goes off, and spent several hours approaching people on our streets, in tents and cars, and huddling under blankets to interview them about their lives as unsheltered people. It’s sometimes uncomfortable, and often heartbreaking.
It’s also an invaluable education, which we at Serving Seniors believe is key to helping dispel misunderstandings and stereotypes about the root causes of homelessness and the people affected.
Serving Seniors board members Dr. Divya Koura and Deb Barrett were part of our team surveying people in downtown San Diego this year.
Barrett, a local technology executive, participated in her first Point-in-Time Count this year. “It’s one thing to have strong opinions based on statistics you read. But when you actually get out there, and see someone sleeping on the sidewalk with no blanket, you know this is not a choice,” said Barrett.
“It’s a whole different experience to see up close. I just can’t even imagine having to try and survive on the street. To me, the more people can see the human side of this crisis and not just the statistics or perceived burden on society, you understand it’s a societal challenge that needs immediate attention and adequate resources,” explains Barrett.
Koura participated in her second Point-in-Time Count as part of a team with Barrett and Serving Seniors Chief Philanthropy Officer Edith Glassey. The trio walked along C Street to talk with the people they found there.
“At first I had all the questions people usually have. Why would you do this at four in the morning and all of these things?” said Koura. But once she took part in her first count in 2023, she was eager to come back.
“I think it’s important to do the things that make us uncomfortable, and to honestly expose ourselves to the harsh realities that are out there,” explained Koura, who says she encourages her friends to participate. “It is something I do intend to keep doing. I think it’s sobering, very sobering.”
Both women acknowledged there are people who are suffering from mental health issues. But far more people found themselves without housing due to a medical crisis, a job loss, or another emergency. For the older adults they spoke to, this was particularly the case.
“It was more like, ‘oh yeah, I got sick, I had cancer, and then I couldn’t work.’ That’s what I heard more this year than last year,’ said Dr. Koura.
“It’s astounding to me how many seniors report it was a medical crisis that caused them to no longer have the money to live on, and they eventually became homeless. That could literally happen to anyone,” said Barrett. “When you hear the varied reasons why this happens to people, it’s not all one thing. It’s not all drugs, which is what you often hear in the media or when this issue is being politicized.”
Volunteer teams use a mobile phone app to pose a list of questions and collect information from the unsheltered participants. In addition to personal information, people who agree to discuss their circumstances explain what happened, and what might have prevented them from becoming homeless.
I think honestly, it really could just happen to anyone,” said Koura. “So much of life is luck. Because of that, the judgment around it, the preconceived notions are things it’s important to bring down. There are people that can be brought to see the facts with these opportunities.”
Koura said when she arrived at work later in the day and talked with colleagues about it, many weren’t familiar with the Point-in-Time Count. “When I talked about it at work. everyone’s like, ‘What’s that?’
“Even though I’ve done it before, there’s still a strange sort of anticipatory anxiety about it. There’s discomfort waking people up, of being outside of our comfort zone for sure. But you get there, and you get started and then it’s not so hard. They’re just people that have to be and are very tough to survive what they’re going through.”
For Barrett, her first Point-in-Time Count experience will linger. “It stuck with me. It’s very upsetting, actually. But I think it’s easy to throw money at problems and not really get in there and roll up your sleeves and try to be part of the solution. The more educated I am, the more I see the issue firsthand, the more likely I will be to get involved in supporting effective solutions.”
Recognizing the systemic causes of homelessness is the first step toward developing policies and programs that can prevent this crisis from deepening.
Many San Diegans harbor deep-seated fears and misconceptions about homeless adults — that they are dangerous, unpredictable, or involved in criminal activities. Such perceptions are not only inaccurate but also dehumanizing.
By fostering environments where homeless individuals are seen and treated as neighbors, not threats, communities can work together to create sustainable solutions. Emphasizing shared humanity and the understanding that homelessness can affect anyone given the right circumstances is essential in overcoming fear and building a foundation for compassion and effective action.
Paul Downey is CEO of Serving Seniors, a San Diego-based nonprofit that helps seniors in poverty live healthy and fulfilling lives.