Wisconsin’s PIT rely struggles to seize homeless inhabitants

Studying Time: 8 minutes

Simply earlier than midnight, with a contemporary layer of snow sticking to the bottom, volunteers Sandy Hahn and Britanie Peaslee slowly drive by way of Jefferson County’s native parking tons, fuel stations, truck stops, parks, trails and laundromats, preserving their eyes peeled.

They’re grateful for the snowfall, which makes it simpler to see footprints, fogged home windows and occupied autos. They’ve a protracted night time forward of them, and being in a rural space makes their job — discovering these with out shelter — much more difficult. 

“It’s just a little bit simpler when it’s colder as a result of you may see, OK this windshield is frosted from the within, anyone’s been inhaling there for fairly some time,” Peaslee stated. 

In Johnson Creek, they discover many of the homeless residing in vehicles parked behind the Pine Cone Journey Plaza — a neighborhood restaurant, fuel station and truck cease. The duo rigorously strategy every car — one with a sleeping little one within the again — with blankets and a four-page questionnaire. 

However that’s assuming the unhoused are keen to interact with the strangers in any respect, not to mention at 3 a.m. whereas it’s 7 levels and snowing exterior. 

Jan. 22 marked Hahn and Peaslee’s fifth time collaborating within the annual “time limit” (PIT) rely — a one-night snapshot of the variety of individuals experiencing homelessness throughout the US, together with Wisconsin. The pair have been among the many eight volunteers conducting the counts in Jefferson County, a quantity Hahn thought of to be low. Being in a small, rural space, they wrestle to recruit volunteers. 

This one-night snapshot — first carried out in 2005 — is the one required rely of all individuals experiencing homelessness every year in the US. The volunteers should comply with strict tips set by the U.S. Division of Housing and City Growth.

Peaslee stated finding individuals is the most important problem in rural areas. Many are sleeping in deserted buildings or different personal property they’ll’t entry. The volunteers do their finest to not miss anybody, whereas additionally preserving their very own security in thoughts. 

“Relying on how treacherous it’s exterior, typically we’ll go into the woods,” Hahn stated.

Along with fuel station parking tons, they’ve seen a number of third-shift staff parked at native factories who’re residing of their vehicles.

Every January rely isn’t launched till December, regardless that lawmakers will quickly set housing and emergency shelter funding for the subsequent two years within the upcoming state finances.

Final 12 months there was an 18% enhance within the homeless rely nationwide based mostly on the rely taken in January 2024. In rural Wisconsin the rise was 9%. In Jefferson County the volunteers recorded three homeless individuals a 12 months in the past. This 12 months the ultimate tally was 13 — a quantity that seemingly nonetheless doesn’t come near capturing the true inhabitants.

Why does the PIT rely occur through the coldest month of the 12 months? 

HUD determines that the yearly PIT rely should be carried out on the identical night time in January in each state throughout the nation. Every Continuum of Care — regional organizations working below HUD that perform the counts — could conduct a July rely along with the mandated one in January.

“They need us to exit in the midst of the night time as a result of they really feel that’s when individuals can be sleeping, and they’d be hunkered down of their normal spots,” stated Diane Sennholz, who leads the rely in Lincoln, Marathon and Wooden counties. “If we have been to exit through the day, they could be on the library or the grocery retailer or strolling round.” 

Wisconsin’s Steadiness of State CoC, which covers all 69 counties in Wisconsin apart from Milwaukee, Dane and Racine, requires every county in its jurisdiction to hold out a summer time rely. Others, like Dane County, usually conduct solely the required January rely. 

Frigid temperatures are inclined to drive extra individuals into emergency homeless shelters, making the rely simpler. That mannequin may work in cities, however in rural areas like Jefferson County, there aren’t any homeless shelters.

Out of necessity, these experiencing homelessness in a county with no shelters will do every part they’ll to remain on a pal’s sofa or discover someplace heat, making them more durable to seek out and inconceivable to incorporate within the rely. These quickly staying with a pal or member of the family don’t rely.

Jefferson County’s summer time PIT rely has elevated every year since 2021 — a development that may be seen statewide. In 2022, the county’s January rely was zero in comparison with seven recorded in the summertime rely.

“We undoubtedly don’t discover as many in January as we might in summer time,” Hahn stated. “Individuals are extra keen to open up their barns, their garages, their additional bed room, particularly on weeks like this when it’s destructive 40.”

Peaslee and Hahn, who’re each concerned locally’s poverty-fighting coalition, know the issue is worse than what the rely portrays. 

“We’re not discovering an eighth of what number of are really on the market,” Peaslee stated. 

The PIT rely’s pitfalls 

On the night time of the rely, Hahn and Peaslee headed to a truck cease in Johnson Creek the place persons are recognized to sleep of their vehicles. The autos have been lined up on the farthest finish of the lot. One particular person refused to roll down the window and communicate to them.  

It occurs usually, however Peaslee and Hahn can’t blame them. In spite of everything, it’s the midnight, and they’re two strangers who come bearing a four-page survey. HUD requires the volunteers to assemble as a lot details about the person as potential. 

The pair spoke to somebody in one other automotive who knew the person and confirmed they have been unhoused, main Hahn to fill out an commentary kind. Volunteers have seven days following the rely to aim to make contact with these people once more to substantiate whether or not they have been homeless on the night time of the rely. With out that affirmation, they’ll’t be counted. 

The next week, Hahn had no luck monitoring down the person. The particular person was positioned on an commentary sheet, however not included within the official rely.

Volunteers aren’t allowed to imagine that somebody is “actually homeless” in accordance with HUD definitions. However Hahn famous that the automotive was operating in the midst of the night time for heat and there have been blankets masking the home windows for privateness. Unhoused individuals who might in any other case be counted are being missed in these cases.

“If anyone has all these private belongings of their automotive, you may type of inform at that time that they’re experiencing homelessness,” stated Lyric Glynn, who leads the rely in Kewaunee, Door, Manitowoc and Sheboygan counties. “However we are able to’t rely them on a regular basis as a result of they’re sleeping and we haven’t been in a position to do a survey with them.”

This 12 months, two people in Jefferson County ended up on the commentary kind as a substitute of being recorded within the official rely. In July, that quantity was 10. 

The day after the rely, Hahn makes calls to find out what number of resort vouchers have been distributed that night time. Those that are unhoused and quickly staying in a resort are counted within the rely, however provided that they’ve acquired a voucher for his or her keep. HUD specifies that in the event that they’re paying for the room themselves, or if another person is paying for them, they can’t be included, excluding much more of the inhabitants from the rely. 

In Jefferson County, Hahn stated these motel vouchers are exhausting to return by as a result of minimal funding. Individuals in resorts usually pay by way of different means.

“There are such a lot of limitations,” Peaslee stated.

Counts tied to group’s stage of want

Whereas federal funding for housing and shelter packages isn’t straight tied to the outcomes of the rely, it’s utilized in figuring out a group’s stage of want, based on Ann Oliva, CEO of the Nationwide Alliance to Finish Homelessness. The federal McKinney-Vento Act additionally requires HUD to find out whether or not a group is lowering homelessness, and the rely is considered one of a number of standards scored within the analysis. 

Regardless of its flaws, Wisconsin’s PIT rely exhibits that statewide homelessness has been rising. Within the “stability” of the state, the principally rural homeless inhabitants elevated from 2,938 people in 2023 to three,201 in 2024, the very best quantity recorded since 2017. 

In 2020, a federal moratorium established a brief pause on evictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. However the federal authorities lifted that measure in August 2021. 

Glynn stated she has issues about lawmakers, companies and different officers counting on greater than year-old PIT rely information. 

“Once they’re utilizing outdated numbers from years in the past, particularly early pandemic numbers, they’re not gauging what occurred after the pandemic when the eviction moratorium ended and when people began getting evicted from items,” Glynn stated.

The delayed launch of those yearly counts can also be an issue when making use of for native grants, Glynn stated. Software reviewers usually take a look at counts from the earlier 12 months. The CoCs have the latest totals, which typically don’t match HUD’s newest figures.

In a state finances 12 months, it might assist if officers might have earlier entry to the newest counts, Glynn stated. 

​​Within the state’s 2023-25 biennial finances, the Legislature rejected Gov. Tony Evers’ suggestions to spend some $24 million on emergency shelter and housing grants, in addition to homeless case administration companies and rental help for unhoused veterans.

The Legislature additionally rejected the $250 million Evers proposed for inexpensive workforce housing and residential rehabilitation grants.

Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez joined a gaggle of volunteers in western Wisconsin on the night time of the rely this 12 months, the place she expressed issues about rising housing prices and emergency shelter companies. She stated Evers’ finances “goes to have these varieties of investments.” 

Evers is about to announce his 2025-27 state finances proposal on Feb. 18.

Courtroom ruling might have an effect on counts

In June, the U.S. Supreme Courtroom dominated that municipalities can implement bans on homeless individuals sleeping in public locations. Oliva predicts this ruling will influence the rely outcomes this 12 months. 

“I’m wondering what is going to occur in locations which were ticketing and fining individuals. These persons are going to cover,” Oliva instructed Wisconsin Watch. “Why would you need to be discovered, particularly if you understand that it’s potential that you simply’ll get ticketed or put in jail for being homeless?” 

Volunteers like Peaslee and Hahn, who work with the homeless inhabitants of their group, nonetheless see worth in conducting the rely. For them, it is a chance for outreach and permits them to supply sources to these with whom they haven’t beforehand made contact. They remind individuals they’re greater than a quantity.

“Sure, you want the gritty particulars to report back to HUD, however actually making them really feel like they’re human and that their story issues,” Peaslee stated. “And we’re not simply placing down a knowledge level to have a knowledge level. We need to know, how can we aid you?”

Wisconsin Watch is a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom. Subscribe to our newsletters for unique tales and our Friday information roundup.