At the end of January, unsheltered people in Marion and Polk counties will answer questions about where they sleep, whether they’ve served in the military, their experiences with disability and more. In the upcoming count, the Mid-Willamette Valley Homeless Alliance hopes the questionnaire will be better for both Salem’s unsheltered community and the volunteer census-takers than in years past. Volunteers will also be handing out winter weather gear and sharing information about local services.The annual Point-in-Time counts measure how many people are living on Salem’s streets, in cars and in shelters in the community.  Though considered an undercount of the total number of people living in cars, tents and on the street, it’s required every odd-numbered year by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the federal agency that funds housing and homeless services.A sheltered count of people living in emergency shelters and transitional housing is required every year.Outside the Point-in-Time count, data is collected every day in Salem when people use shelters and services, and organized in the state’s Homeless Management Information System. In 2023, the counts found 878 total unsheltered people living in the community, and 677 in shelters, a slight decrease from 2022 which counted 879 unsheltered people and 926 in emergency shelter.The count, which takes place between Jan. 23 and 29, will ask people where they slept the night of Jan. 22.Typically, Salem has done the unsheltered count every year. But the Mid-Willamette Valley Homeless Alliance opted to skip the 2024 unsheltered count to reevaluate the invasive questions and consider ways to better serve the people answering them.“I feel that we’re much more prepared and ready this year to have a comprehensive Point-in-Time count,” said Jeremy Gordon, board chair and a Polk County commissioner. “I’m incredibly excited, and we received lots of public interest in getting involved.”During the break, a workgroup and three focus groups brought in perspectives from people who had experienced unsheltered homelessness, said workgroup leader Marianne Bradshaw.They discussed how to better approach invasive, but federally required, questions like someone’s experience with domestic violence, substance use and disability.“It’s a challenge to figure out how to ask those questions, meet their requirements and do so in a way that’s trauma-informed,” Bradshaw said.Conversations included how to better train volunteers on ways to make people feel safe and respected during the survey, and how to pose the questions so it’s clearer that each question is optional. They’ve also worked to make the language more accessible, such as explaining the difference between developmental and physical disabilities without a lengthy speech. The Marion and Polk county survey will also go beyond what’s federally required, like continuing an interview with someone who’s couch surfing even though it won’t be included in the federal unsheltered data. Bradshaw said it will help local agencies better understand homelessness in the region.The volunteers will carry winter clothes, protein bars, dog treats and more to distribute during the count. The alliance is accepting donations for the count through January 17. This year’s count will also expand offerings of resources alongside questions. Several events in January will offer meals, housing information and an opportunity to connect with a case manager.  By hosting resource events, the alliance hopes to bring in people who might otherwise be hard to find, like those who live in cars. There were several such events last year and the upcoming events will focus on especially undercounted groups including young adults, Hispanic people and Pacific Islanders. The Point-in-Time count is an undercount of homelessness by most measures, Gordon said, which makes offering resources especially important. “We want to make sure that there is an added value to this activity, knowing that the counts will be as close as we can get,” Gordon said. “We want to make sure that we’re also improving people’s lives in the process and respecting their time engaging in the process.” There are two remaining volunteer training events, which this year emphasize trauma-informed care and how to use the data collection system. The training sessions are over Zoom, on Wednesday, Jan. 8, at 5 p.m. and on Tuesday, Jan. 21, at noon. Registration is available online. Outreach workers, case managers and people already engaged with the unsheltered community will be important team members, Gordon said. All together, the effort will take roughly 200 volunteers.Most volunteer shifts are four hours. Volunteers doing street outreach will be assigned to a certain area to find people to engage with, and volunteers at resource events will be tasked with set-up, distributing supplies and doing the survey there. “There’s so many roles and opportunities. And I was especially gratified talking to the folks with lived experience who said, ‘It’s an opportunity to get a pair of socks and a smile, and feel like somebody cares,’” Bradshaw said. “So from every direction, I feel like doing the Point-in-Time count is good for the community.” Contact reporter Abbey McDonald: [email protected] or 503-575-1251. A MOMENT MORE, PLEASE– If you found this story useful, consider subscribing to Salem Reporter if you don’t already. Work such as this, done by local professionals, depends on community support from subscribers. Please take a moment and sign up now – easy and secure: SUBSCRIBE. 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