Turning Numbers Into Names: Homeless Registry Under Way

While many were still sleeping Monday morning, a group of nearly 200 volunteers gathered to kick off an ambitious project. 

The group was getting ready to go to Campbell, Los Gatos and parts of San Jose to survey homeless people on the streets, in their encampments and other dwellings as part of Housing 1,000 SV, an effort to find permanent housing for 1,000 chronically homeless people in Santa Clara County by June 2013.

According to the organization's website, there are approximately 7,000 homeless people living in the county. Of these, about 2,000 are chronically homeless—meaning they have not had a home in more than a year.

The organization is working with Campbell-based Destination: Home, City of San Jose, County of Santa Clara, Community Technology Alliance and Collab SCC.

Starting at 4 a.m. today and continuing through Wednesday, June 29, the volunteers will also try to survey and register the homeless in Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Milpitas, Mountain View, Los Altos, Palo Alto, Saratoga, Cupertino, and Monte Sereno.

The survey is designed to identify chronically homeless people who are most vulnerable to an early death. It asks for information such as name and date of birth, how long the individual has been homeless, and if they have any health issues associated with early mortality. 

Along with the survey, a photo of each individual, with their permission, is taken as well as the location of where they are living to match them up with the available appropriate services.

The South County Registry week, which includes Gilroy, San Martin and Morgan Hill, will take place July 20-22.

The team of volunteers drove around local streets, went to several encampments along the Los Gatos Creek Trail, under Highway 17 and Bascom Avenue, said Bob Dolci, Santa Clara County Homeless Concern coordinator. 

"The purpose is to establish a registry of people who are most vulnerable," Dolci said.