Unsheltered spaces include barns, abandoned buildings, spaces under bridges, areas of vegetation and other spaces people experiencing homelessness can access, Jenkins explained.
“There are a variety of locations. Some are very out in the open, maybe in a downtown-type space. Some areas are off the beaten path and known to our outreach workers as places people have been staying in recent days,” she said.
It’s unclear what services for those they count will look like by the end of this year.
On Tuesday, the Montgomery County Commission approved a request for proposals for a new operator for Dayton’s emergency shelter, located on Gettysburg Avenue in Dayton.
St. Vincent de Paul last year announced plans to cease operating Men’s Gateway Shelter by this summer, citing financial challenges and an end to federal emergency relief.
According to the RFP, a new provider will take over the shelter no later than July 1.
Montgomery County Commissioner Carolyn Rice, who also serves on the Homeless Solutions Policy Board, said identifying a new provider for the shelter that serves single adult men is crucial for the community.
“It is our passion as a community, taking care of our people,” she said. “Change is hard, but know that we are good stewards of the monies and the missions that we’re given.”
On average, Gateway Men’s Shelter saw 229 men nightly between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024, according to the RFP. Its next provider will be tasked with providing meals, maintaining the facility and more.
Homeless census
The annual Point in Time (PIT) count conducted early Wednesday is mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Data from that count won’t be available until later this year. The 2024 PIT count of homelessness identified 687 people, 92 of whom were unsheltered, according to results from Montgomery County.
The year before, Montgomery County counted its highest recorded number of people — 771, of whom 107 were unsheltered — since it launched its homeless solutions plan in 2006.
Rice said she hopes the county sees a dip in people in shelters and experiencing homelessness elsewhere in the community, but she fears the number may be higher this year.
“You have to understand that many people are living paycheck to paycheck,” Rice said. “And there are so many other pressures.”
Montgomery County officials last week said the county is negotiating a contract with Homefull to be the case management provider for the Women’s, Families, and Men’s Emergency Shelters.
Rice said the county continues to seek other organizations to provide wrap-around services — job training, mental health counseling and other support — for people experiencing housing instability.
Earlier this month, HUD announced $16.3 million in federal grant awards to organizations in Montgomery County that help people experiencing homelessness.
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