Homeless and at-risk census for all the Mountain Communities

Compiled by Patric Hedlund

Anne Weber is not exactly a short-order cook, but the director of the Mountain Communities Family Resource Center (FRC) is inviting mountain residents who are homeless to join her for a free breakfast.

On Thursday, Jan. 24 between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., come to the FRC meeting room at 3015 Mt. Pinos Way in Frazier Park. Breakfast burritos are on the menu.

The economic recession has brought difficult times to large numbers of mountain residents, families and individuals. Weber hopes to be able to get a count of how many people in this region may be eligible for help, so funds can be channeled to the mountain for better services to help people get back on their feet.

Come be counted

The Kern County Homeless Collaborative receives funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) each year. An annual census determines how much funding is allocated to Kern County to help our homeless families.

You might be surprised

You might be surprised at how many people might qualify. Here is a summary of life-conditions that qualify for assistance and need to be counted. HUD’s definition includes:

• 1) Individuals or families who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence. Those staying in a place not designed for sleeping, i.e. car, park, abandoned building, bus or train station, or camping ground also qualify.
• 2) An individual or family who is about to lose a primary nighttime residence within 14 days with no new residence identified; and the individual lacks the resources or support to obtain other permanent housing.
• 3) Unaccompanied youths under 25 years of age, or families with children and youths, who do not otherwise qualify as homeless under this definition, but who are defined as homeless under a variety of other federal programs such as a Runaway or Violence Against Women Acts program. If you have no lease, ownership interest or occupancy agreement in permanent housing, and have experienced persistent instability measured by two moves or more during the previous 60 day period, you can be counted.
• 4) An individual or family who is fleeing domestic violence, or other life-threatening conditions related to violence against themselves or their family members, and have no other residence and resources to obtain permanent housing.

If any of this describes the situation of a friend or family member of yours, they need to be counted. In addition to breakfast, you will receive a gift from KCHC, and information about available help. /p>

This is part of the January 18, 2013 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

Have an opinion on this matter? We'd like to hear from you.