Record number of volunteers canvass streets for annual homeless count
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Mayor Bill De Blasio participated in a past HOPE Count. Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office.
By Rachel Vick
A bright mural painted on the wall of the cafeteria at P.S. 65 in Ozone Park served as a fitting piece of encouragement for visitors about to set out on the city’s annual homeless count Monday night.
“In a world where you can be anything, be kind,” the mural read.
Volunteers gathered at the cafeteria for a brief training session ahead of the 15th annual Homeless Outreach Population Estimate, commonly known as the HOPE Count. Canvassers at locations across the city took to the streets, parks and subways to try and determine just how many people were sleeping outside between midnight and 4 a.m. during the coldest period of the year.
According to the Department of Homeless Services, the counts focus on “high density areas,” gleaned from previous estimates and outreach. The samples are used to estimate counts in other areas. Last year’s count estimated 175 unsheltered individuals in Queens, a 20 percent decrease from 2018.
At P.S. 65, many of the volunteers were young. Some came in groups while others like Nakeya, a mother from Arverne, came out on their own.
“I came across [HOPE] as I was looking into starting my own non-profit,” Nakeya said. “I’m glad I came out tonight. I only have to be in the cold for a few hours before going home to a family - to make the effort for the many people who are out all night is the least I can do.”
Monday night’s count brought out a record number of volunteers, according to Cindy Teta, Assistant Commissioner of Single Adult Shelter Operations at DHS. Teams fanned out from five training sites across Queens for the overnight count, to see not only how many people were left outside, but also the conditions they were staying in.
Teta has been a site manager at what she describes as a “generally quiet” location for many years. She said she recognized many people as returning volunteers or city employees, and commended everyone in the room for taking the time to participate.
“What you’re doing tonight is a good thing, and if you walk away with nothing else, know your efforts really count tonight,” said Teta, who has worked with the DHS for 15 years. “You may not find anyone on the street, which would be a great thing. Do NOT be disappointed if you don’t see anyone on the street, because it means they’re somewhere safe.”
People staying on the street or in public spaces make up a tiny, but visible sliver of the city’s overall homeless population.
The HOPE count takes place amid a deep and persistent homeless crisis in New York City. Nearly 60,000 people — 35 percent of whom are children — slept in DHS shelters on Sunday, according to the most recent daily census reported by DHS. Tens of thousands of other unstably housed New Yorkers lived “doubled up” with friends, families or other people in apartments where their names do not appear on the lease.
The far-from-perfect street homeless estimate serves as a barometer that influences future services and affects state and federal funding.
Volunteers at P.S. 65 covered parts of Ozone Park, Howard Beach, Jamaica, Far Rockaway, Kew Gardens, the side of Belt Parkway and the E, A, J and F train stations, making it the “most diverse map of any site,” Teta said.
The city loaned Metrocards to people surveying the subways, but did not reimburse gas and tolls.
In the busiest parts of Queens, the early morning hours still feature bustling activity, but as the temperatures plunge, individuals sleeping on the streets become more at-risk of serious health problems.
The city has established a “Code Blue” warning, which meant volunteers were instructed to gently wake sleeping individuals to check in and see if they wanted to go to an intake center or shelter. If they did, two drivers would act as runners. DHS reminded volunteers to use their judgement, and if someone didn’t want help but seemed to need it, to contact staff.
For the first time, the count was completely digital.
The HOPE 2020 app broke up the survey areas and formatted the survey for ease of use. The app, for example, knew to skip through questions based on previous answers, a noticeable improvement from the previous analog method, according to HOPE staff. An interactive map showed the designated blocks each team was responsible for canvassing.
Meanwhile “decoys” also walked around the count zones to determine a margin of error — and to make sure volunteers were being thorough.
Volunteers were instructed to engage with everyone they saw, regardless of how they were dressed.
“You don’t know — you can’t judge people,” Teta said. “What does homeless look like? Most of us are a paycheck away, right?”
