VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Author's note: The video above is on file from November 24, 2021.
Virginia Beach Housing & Neighborhood Preservation is asking the public for help to collect information about those who are unsheltered and find ways to connect them to resources.
According to a release, they are collecting information from residents who can help identify areas of the city where they have noticed a larger presence.
"It's important that we're able to find all unsheltered individuals so they can be included in the count and assessed for services," said Pam Shine, interim Homeless Services administrator. "This public input opportunity has enhanced our outreach efforts to help ensure the count is as thorough as possible."
She added, "Since launching it in 2018, the public has helped us identify dozens of unknown locations where people were living unsheltered. It really demonstrates the value of the City and community working together to prevent and end homelessness."
The information will allow for homeless services staff to have an updated 2022 Point-In-Time (PIT) count in Virginia Beach. The PIT count is reported to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to determine the amount of money a city can receive to provide assistance.
A Homeless Outreach Team will use the information to reach out and make efforts to end street homelessness.
Some signs that a person or group of people may be unsheltered include personal belongings being left behind or being seen at the same location multiple times.