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<br />52
<br />
<br />Alameda Countywide Homeless and Special Needs Housing Plan
<br />
<br />number of people homeless during the course of the year is higher than the number at a single point
<br />in time. The Continuum of Care Council estimates that 16,000 people are homeless in Alameda
<br />County over the course of a year.26
<br />
<br />Nearly half of the homeless population at the point in time of the survey was in Oakland, while 20
<br />percent were in South and East County, 13 percent in Berkeley, and 17 percent in other Mid- and
<br />North County locations. The survey found an unexpectedly large portion of HUD-defined
<br />chronically homeless adults at a point in time in Berkeley, at 41 percent of the entire chronically
<br />homeless population?7 Generally, the homeless population in Oakland and Berkeley includes more
<br />single adults and people with disabilities, while South, East, Mid-, and North County have higher
<br />proportions of homeless families with children.
<br />
<br />The following information highlights some demographics of the homeless population:
<br />
<br />· Families. The survey found that 43 percent of the community-defined homeless were in a
<br />family with children. At the ~oint in time of the survey, the total included 936 adults with
<br />children, and 1,755 children. 8
<br />
<br />· Gender. The homeless population countywide was almost evenly split between men (53
<br />percent) and women (47 percent), although women were more highly represented in areas with
<br />more families, and men are more common in areas with more single adults.29
<br />
<br />· Race and ethnicity. In the community-defined homeless population, Blacks/African
<br />Americans, American Indians, and Alaska Natives were over-represented when compared to
<br />Alameda County's population as a whole.3o
<br />
<br />· Youth and young adults. At a point in time, there were 364 community-defined homeless
<br />people in Alameda County aged 24 or younger, including effectively emancipated youth
<br />younger than 18.31
<br />
<br />· Seniors. At a point in time, Alameda County had 2,296 people aged 55 or older, including 1,195
<br />people aged 55 to 64 and 1,10 I aged 65 and older. This population is anticipated to grow as the
<br />proportion of Americans aged 55 and older grows.32
<br />
<br />· Duration of homelessness. At the point in time of the survey, about a quarter of homeless
<br />adults had been homeless for less than a year, while 16 percent had been homeless for 10 years
<br />or more or had never had their own place to live.
<br />
<br />· Education. More than 40 percent of homeless adults had completed high school or earned a
<br />GED.33
<br />
<br />26 Richard Speiglman and Jean Norris, Alameda Countywide Shelter and Services Survey: County Report, prepared for the Alameda
<br />Countywide Homeless Continuum of Care Council, May 2004, pp. 1-12 to 1.J3.
<br />27 Ibid, p. 3-15.
<br />28 Richard Speiglman and Jean Norris, Alameda Countywide Shelter and Services Survey: County Report, prepared for the Alameda
<br />Countywide Homeless Continuum of Care Council, May 2004, p. 3-9.
<br />29 Ibid, p. 4-2.
<br />30 See Table CM-9 on page 8.6 of this plan's Companion Materials for detail on race/ethnicity in the community-defined homeless
<br />population. For the population of Alameda County as a whole in 2002, population estimates are; American Indian/Alaska Nativc
<br />(<I %); Asian and Pacific Islanders (23%); Black! African American (14%); Hispanic/Latino, any race (20%); White/Caucasian
<br />(39%); Other (1%); and Multiracial (4%). Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and Association of Bay Area
<br />Govcrnments (ABAG), "Selected Census 2000 data for the San Francisco Bay Area," Alameda County 2002 ACS Estimates. Source:
<br />Census 2000 SFI, SF3, DPI-DP4, American Community Survey 2002 Summary Tables. Available online:
<br />www.bayareacensus.ca.gov/counties/AlamedaCounty.htm (Accessed: December 14, 2004).
<br />JI Richard Speiglman and Jean Norris, Alameda Countywide Shelter and Services Survey: County Report, prepared for the Alameda
<br />Countywide Homeless Continuum of Care Council, May 2004, p. 2-3.
<br />n Ibid, p. 2-3.
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