OC Tries More Accurate Count of Homeless Population

Every other year for over a decade, Orange County officials have taken a census of the county's homeless population using volunteers and a method called "point-in-time," which just meant participants got their numbers off of one morning. But in the face of an exploding population, the Board of Supervisors announced last week that they will now make sure to get an actual count, instead of just an estimate, over a 10-day period. Homeless czar Susan Price predicts such a move will "blow [the existing numbers] out of the water." An accurate figure is crucial in determining how city and county politicians can tackle the homeless issue, which has haunted them for years. The next scheduled census is for early next year.