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ALAMEDA COUNTY
HOMELESS COUNT AND SURVEY
COMPREHENSIVE REPORT
REPORT BY ASR
2 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
APPLIED SURVEY RESEARCH
Applied Survey Research (ASR) is a social research firm dedicated to helping people build better communities by
collecting meaningful data, facilitating information-based planning, and developing custom strategies. The firm
was founded on the principle that community improvement, initiative sustainability, and program success are
closely tied to assessment needs, evaluation of community goals, and development of appropriate responses.
Project Lead: Julie Burr
Senior Data Analyst: Javier Salcedo, Kevin Click, and Alex Werner
Graphic Design and Layout: Jenna Webber and Emily Eder
Department Vice President: Peter Connery
LOCATIONS
Central Coast:
55 Penny Lane, Suite 101
Watsonville, CA 95076
tel 831-728-1356
Bay Area:
1871 The Alameda, Suite 180
San Jose, CA 95126
tel 408-247-8319
Sacramento:
5440 Park Dr.
Rocklin CA 95650
tel 916-247-8319
www.appliedsurveyresearch.org
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
EveryOne Counts! 2022 PIT Count Planning Committee .............................................................................................. 7
Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................................................................ 9
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................ 12
Point-In-Time Census .................................................................................................................................................. 14
Point-In-Time Count – Key Data Findings ................................................................................................................... 17
Number And Characteristics of Homeless Persons ................................................................................................ 18
Subpopulations ....................................................................................................................................................... 25
Survey Findings ........................................................................................................................................................... 26
Living Accommodations .......................................................................................................................................... 26
Duration And Recurrence of Homelessness ........................................................................................................... 29
Primary Cause of Homelessness ............................................................................................................................. 31
Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity ................................................................................................................. 32
Foster Care System ................................................................................................................................................. 33
Criminal Justice System .......................................................................................................................................... 34
Health...................................................................................................................................................................... 35
Domestic/Partner Violence or Abuse ..................................................................................................................... 37
Services and Assistance .......................................................................................................................................... 38
Employment, Income, and Benefits........................................................................................................................ 39
Select Populations ...................................................................................................................................................... 41
Single Adults 25 Years and Older ............................................................................................................................ 42
Families with Children ............................................................................................................................................ 45
Unaccompanied Children and Transition-Age Youth ............................................................................................. 47
Chronically Homeless Persons ................................................................................................................................ 51
Veterans .................................................................................................................................................................. 54
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................................... 56
Appendix A: Methodology .......................................................................................................................................... 58
Street Count Methodology ..................................................................................................................................... 60
Shelter Count Methodology ................................................................................................................................... 64
Survey Methodology ............................................................................................................................................... 65
Appendix B: Definitions and Abbreviations ................................................................................................................ 67
Appendix C: Point-In-Time Count Results ................................................................................................................... 69
All Households ........................................................................................................................................................ 69
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Youth Households ................................................................................................................................................... 71
Veteran Households ............................................................................................................................................... 72
Additional Homeless Populations ........................................................................................................................... 74
Appendix D: Adult Survey and Youth Screening Tool ................................................................................................. 75
Appendix E: Survey Results ......................................................................................................................................... 78
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TABLE OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Total Number of Homeless Persons Enumerated During the Point-in-Time Count .................................... 18
Figure 2. Total Number of Homeless Persons by Shelter Status ................................................................................ 18
Figure 3. Total Number of Homeless Persons by Location ......................................................................................... 19
Figure 4. Total Number of Homeless Persons by Household Type, Age, and Shelter Status ..................................... 20
Figure 5. Total Number of Homeless Persons by Gender ........................................................................................... 20
Figure 6. Total Number of Homeless Persons by Household Type, Gender, and Shelter Status ............................... 21
Figure 7. Total Number of Homeless Persons by Hispanic/Latinex Ethnicity ............................................................. 22
Figure 8. Total Number of Homeless Persons by Race ............................................................................................... 22
Figure 9. Total Number of Homeless Persons by Jurisdiction and Shelter Status ...................................................... 23
Figure 10. Total Number of Homeless Persons by Census Tract ................................................................................ 24
Figure 11. Federally Reported Subpopulations .......................................................................................................... 25
Figure 12. Location of Residence When Most Recently Becoming Homeless (All Respondents) .............................. 27
Figure 13. Length of Time Spent in Alameda County (All Respondents) .................................................................... 27
Figure 14. Living Arrangements Immediately Prior to Becoming Homeless by First Time Homelessness ................. 28
Figure 15. Experiencing Homelessness for the First time ........................................................................................... 29
Figure 16. Number of Episodes of Homelessness in the Past Three Years ................................................................. 29
Figure 17. Length of Current Episode of Homelessness ............................................................................................. 30
Figure 18. Age at First Experience of Homelessness .................................................................................................. 30
Figure 19. Primary Cause of Homelessness (Top Five Responses) ............................................................................. 31
Figure 20. COVID-19/Wildfire Causing Homelessness ................................................................................................ 31
Figure 21. Sexual and Gender Identity ....................................................................................................................... 32
Figure 22. History of Foster Care ................................................................................................................................ 33
Figure 23. Criminal Justice Involvement ..................................................................................................................... 34
Figure 24. Health Conditions ...................................................................................................................................... 35
Figure 25. Health Conditions by Shelter Status .......................................................................................................... 36
Figure 26. COVID-19 Vaccine Status ........................................................................................................................... 36
Figure 27. Domestic Violence ..................................................................................................................................... 37
Figure 28. History of Domestic Violence by Gender ................................................................................................... 37
Figure 29. Preventing Homelessness (Top Five Responses) ....................................................................................... 38
Figure 30. Reasons for Not Using Shelter Services (Top Five Reasons) ...................................................................... 38
Figure 31. Income or Benefits Currently Being Received (Top Five Responses and Refuse) ..................................... 39
Figure 32. Current Employment Status ...................................................................................................................... 39
Figure 33. Barriers to Employment (Top Five Responses) .......................................................................................... 40
Figure 34. Number of Single Adults 25 Years and Older Enumerated During the Point-in-Time Count by Shelter
Status .......................................................................................................................................................................... 42
Figure 35. Length of Current Episode of Homelessness Among Single Adults 25 years and Older ........................... 42
Figure 36. Living Arrangements Immediately Prior to Becoming Homeless This Time Among Single Adults 25 Years
and Older (Top Five Responses) ................................................................................................................................. 43
Figure 37. Primary Cause of Homelessness Among Single Adults 25 Years and Older (Top Five Responses) ........... 43
Figure 38. Support Needed to Prevent Housing Loss Among Single Adults 25 Years and Older (Top Five Responses)
.................................................................................................................................................................................... 44
Figure 39. Health Conditions Among Single Adults 25 Years and Older ..................................................................... 44
Figure 40. Total Number of Homeless Families Enumerated During the Point-in-Time Count ................................. 45
Figure 41. Primary Cause of Homelessness Among Families with Children ............................................................... 46
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Figure 42. Health Conditions Among Families with Children ..................................................................................... 46
Figure 43. Total Number of Unaccompanied Children and Transition-Age Youth Enumerated During the Point-in-
Time Count .................................................................................................................................................................. 47
Figure 44. Primary Cause of Homelessness Among Unaccompanied Children and Transition-Age Youth (Top Five
Responses) .................................................................................................................................................................. 48
Figure 45. Health Conditions Among Unaccompanied Children and Transition-Age Youth ...................................... 49
Figure 46. Sexual and Gender Identity Among Unaccompanied Children and Transition-Age Youth ....................... 49
Figure 47. History of Foster Care Among Unaccompanied Children and Transition-Age Youth ................................ 50
Figure 48. Total Number of Chronically Homeless Persons Enumerated During the Point-in-Time Count ............... 51
Figure 49. Primary Cause of Homelessness Among Chronically Homeless Persons (Top Five Responses) ............... 52
Figure 50. Health Conditions Among Chronically Homeless Persons ......................................................................... 53
Figure 51. Total Number of Homeless Veterans Enumerated During the Point-in-Time Count ................................ 54
Figure 52. Primary Cause of Homelessness Among Veterans (Top Five Responses) ................................................. 55
Figure 53. Health Conditions Among Veterans .......................................................................................................... 55
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EVERYONE COUNTS! 2022 PIT COUNT
PLANNING COMMITTEE
The PIT Count Planning Committee in collaboration with Applied Survey Research (ASR) led the strategy design
and implementation of the 2022 data collection effort. The Committee also coordinated with the CoC Committee
and other city and county stakeholders, conducted outreach and engagement activities, and oversaw all data
collection components. Committee members contributed critical understanding of local resources, deep
understanding of enumeration best practices, and many years of experience conducting the Count in Alameda
County.
EVERYONE HOME
Everyone Home, the collective impact initiative for the Berkeley/Oakland/Alameda County Continuum of Care
(CoC) is actively engaged in the fight to end homelessness in Alameda County. In partnership with the Alameda
County homeless and housing service delivery system, city leaders, the business community, the faith community,
non-profits, and, most importantly, those who have themselves experienced the trauma of homelessness,
EveryOne Home is building a future that aspires to sufficient resources, advocacy, and strong community
involvement to erase homelessness in our social landscape. In partnership, EveryOne Home is building a future in
which there are sufficient resources that 1) Prevent homelessness, 2) Ensure safer conditions for those
experiencing homelessness, 3) Increase the quantity of and access to permanent homes, 4) Centers racial equity
in our homelessness response, 5) Includes people with lived experience of homelessness as decision-makers
throughout our homelessness response system, and 6) Strengthens our system’s coordination, communication,
and capacity.
EveryOne Home Staff:
Chelsea Andrews, Executive Director
Katie Haverly, Director of Research and Data Analytics
ASPIRE CONSULTING LLC
Aspire Consulting LLC empowers communities to refine its programs and housing crisis response system to be
housing-focused, oriented to outcomes, effective, efficient, and well-coordinated in order to reduce homelessness
and serve people experiencing homelessness well. Focal points of Aspire Consulting LLC’s work include: training
and project management for measuring and improving outcomes; staff training, retreats, and learning
collaboratives to align organizational culture and practices toward housing first, low barrier approaches; planning
and launching coordinated entry systems; optimizing housing pathways; and training diverse community
stakeholders about the cultural shift and technical refining to be more permanent housing, and outcome, focused.
Aspire Consulting LLC also has many years of experience in Point-in-Time Counts, Homeless Management
Information Systems, Homeless and Caring Court, and 100 Day Challenge performance improvement initiatives.
Aspire Consulting LLC Staff:
Kathie Barkow, Principal
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ALAMEDA COUNTY HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT (HCD) DEPARTMENT
The Housing and Community Development Department (HCD) plays a lead role in the development of housing
and programs to serve the county’s low- and moderate- income households, homeless, and disabled populations
in Alameda County. HCD maintains and expands housing opportunities for low- and moderate- income persons
and families by preserving the county’s housing stock through rehabilitation and repair assistance programs,
expanding the supply of affordable housing for low-income renters and owners, serving the needs of the
homeless community through collaboration with homeless service providers.
Alameda County HCD Department Staff:
Michelle Starratt, Director
Natasha Paddock, Deputy Director, Homeless Division
Riley Wilkerson, Housing and Community Development Manager
Suzanne Campillo, HMIS Admin Support
ALAMEDA COUNTY OFFICE OF HOMELESS CARE AND COORDINATION (OHCC)
The Office of Homeless Care and Coordination (OHCC), formed in early 2020 within the Alameda County Health
Care Services Agency, is working to build a robust, integrated, and coordinated homelessness response system
and housing services in Alameda County. OHCC works to improve efficiency and coordination around strategic
planning and service delivery for efforts to end homelessness within the Continuum of Care and among county
agencies and local jurisdictions.
Alameda County OHCC Staff:
Kerry Abbott, Director
Suzanne Warner, Director of Policy and Planning
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The considerable talents and efforts of many individuals helped ensure the success of this endeavor. EveryOne
Counts! 2022 PIT Count Planning Committee would like to thank the hundreds of community volunteers who
were out in the cold morning hours to enumerate people who were unsheltered, staff of sheltering programs who
enumerated and surveyed program residents, and many service providers who facilitated the process of homeless
peer enumeration by recruiting Count workers, assisting in the administration of surveys, and opening the doors
of their facilities to host training sessions, deploy Count workers, and distribute surveys. Finally, and importantly,
the EveryOne Counts! 2022 PIT Planning Committee would like to thank the many hundreds of people
experiencing homelessness who responded to the survey, whose experience is reflected throughout the findings
of this report.
COUNT & SURVEY COORDINATION AND PLANNING
A special thank you to the following agencies, programs and individuals, who generously supported with planning,
coordination, recruitment, communications, and participation in the 2022 Alameda County Point-in-Time Census
and Survey activities including the pre-Count, the visual Count, youth Count, and recruitment and support of
Guides:
Alameda County Health Care for the Homeless -
Lynette Ward, Phil Clark
Alameda County Housing and Community
Development Department - Michael Drane
Alameda County Housing and Community
Development Department, Homeless
Management Information System (HMIS) -
Suzanne Campillo
Bay Area Community Services (BACS) - Amanda
Olson, Clarisa Burton, Jovan Yglecias, Gary Tia &
Khalil Tokhey
Berkeley Food and Housing Project - Rafay
Mazhar
Building Futures with Women and Children
(BFWC) - Cecilia Flores
City of Alameda - Veronika Cole & Lois Butler
City of Albany - Annemarie Heineman
City of Berkeley - Josh Jacobs
City of Emeryville - Chadrick Smalley
City of Fremont - Laurie Flores
City of Hayward - Jessica Lobedan
City of Livermore - Josh Thurman
City of Oakland - Talia Rubin, LaNita Hogue &
Anthony Smalls
City of Oakland Youth Action Board - Philip Jones
City of Pleasanton - Jay Ingram & Becky Hopkins
City of San Leandro - Elsa Castillo
City of Union City - Jesus Garcia
CityServe of the Tri-Valley - Margaretann Fortner
Covenant House of Oakland - Brian Bob
Downtown Streets Team - Ian Betrando &
Sidney Siu
DreamCatcher Youth Services
East Bay Home Bridge Connect - Cathy Ralph
HIV Education and Prevention Project of Alameda
County (HEPPAC) - Sabrina Fuentes
Operation Dignity - Tomika Perkins, Doris
Freeman, L. Wilson, Z. Wilson, Eric James &
Sabrina Buster
Second Chance - Nicole George
Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center - Elizabeth
Torkington & Maxx McNeil
Village of Love - Joey Harrison & Raj S
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Other special thanks to the following agencies and individuals for their support and participation in the 2022
Alameda County Point-in-Time Census and Survey, PIT Stops, safe parking programs, and unsheltered family data
collection:
24 Hour Parent Teacher Center
A Safe Place
Abode Services
Alameda County Housing and Community
Development Department
Alameda County Health Care for the Homeless
Regional Coordinators
Alameda County Sheriff’s Office
Alameda County Office of Education
All Home
Asbury Church
BART – Daniel Cooperman
Bay Area Community Services
Bay Area Council
BBI Construction
Berkeley Food and Housing Project
Berkeley Unified School District
Block By Block
Bonita House
Building Futures with Women and Children
Building Opportunities for Self Sufficiency (BOSS)
Caltrans Bay Area-District 4 – Dina El-Tawansy,
Debra Nelson, Cheryl Chambers, Leah Budu, and
John Samson
City Team International
City of Alameda
City of Albany
City of Berkeley
City of Dublin
City of Emeryville
City of Fremont
City of Fremont Family Resource Center
City of Hayward
City of Livermore
City of Newark
City of Oakland
City of Piedmont
City of Pleasanton
City of San Leandro
City of Union City
City of Union City CAREavan
CityServe of the Tri-Valley
Cityteam
Cornerstone Fellowship
Covenant House
Dorothy Day House
Downtown Streets Team
East Bay Housing Organizations
East Bay Regional Parks District
East Oakland Collective - Candice Elder & Darbi
Howard
East Oakland Community Project (EOCP)
Eden I & R, Inc.
El Puente Communitario - Elena Lepe & Elisa Lopez
Family Bridges - David Le
Family Emergency Shelter Coalition (FESCO)
FEMA COVID-19 Shelters
First Congregational Church of Berkeley
First Place for Youth
First Presbyterian Church of Hayward
Five Keys FEMA Shelter
Fred Finch Youth Center
Fremont Unified School District
Karen Boyd
Housing Consortium of the East Bay (HCEB)
Lifelong Street Medical - Ryan Wythe
Men of Valor
New Haven Unified School District
Oakland Catholic Worker
Oakland Dream Center
Oakland Elizabeth House
Oakland Unified School District
Open Heart Kitchen
Operation Dignity
Roots Community Health Center
Ruby’s Place
Safe Alternatives to Violent Environments (SAVE)
Salvation Army Oakland Garden Center
Second Chance
Seventh Step Foundation, Inc.
ShelterOak
Shepherd’s Gate
St James Episcopal Church
St. Mary’s Center
St. Vincent de Paul
Swords to Plowshares
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The Village of Love
Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center - Elizabeth
Torkington & Maxx McNeil
Tri Valley Haven
Volunteers of Love
Women’s Daytime Drop in Center
Youth, Engagement, Advocacy and Housing - YEAH!
Youth Spirit Artworks
LIVED-EXPERIENCE GUIDES AND SURVEYORS
A team of approximately 120 trained, currently and formerly homeless individuals worked as Guides, embedded
reporters, and surveyors, ensuring the 2022 count’s accuracy. We thank them for their excellent work and time
spent on the project. Their insight and wisdom are invaluable to this work.
SURVEY TRANSALATION
Javier Salcedo, Juliana Huaroc, and Laura Guzman
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INTRODUCTION
As required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) of all communities receiving
federal funding to provide homeless services, Continuums of Care (CoC) across the country report the findings of
their local Point-in-Time Count to HUD. Currently, the Alameda County CoC receives approximately $40 million
dollars annually in federal funding. Furthermore, Alameda County, its providers and cities, and the State of
California all use the Point-in-Time Count and Survey data for various fundraising, modeling for bringing the
system to scale, planning, funding allocations, and expanding housing and services to meet the needs and make
improvements.
Significantly, the Alameda County Point-in-Time (PIT) Census and Survey in 2022 was conducted during the
COVID-19 pandemic and is the only full sheltered and unsheltered Count since 2019. The 2021 unsheltered PIT
Count was postponed to the end of January 2022 due to COVID-19 safety concerns and again to February 2022
due to the January 2022 Omicron COVID-19 surge.
Alameda County has partnered with ASR to conduct its Point-in-Time (PIT) Census since 2017, maintaining a
similar methodology, thus ensuring as much consistency as possible from one Count to the next, even with
adaptations to the 2022 Count to maximize safe participation. ASR is a locally based social research firm that has
extensive experience in homeless enumeration and needs assessment, having conducted homeless Counts and
surveys throughout California and across the nation. Their work is featured as a best practice in the standard
process HUD publication, A Guide to Counting Unsheltered Homeless People, as well as in the Chapin Hall at the
University of Chicago publication, Conducting a Youth Count: A Toolkit.
PROJECT OVERVIEW AND GOALS
For the Homeless Census and Survey to best reflect the experience and expertise of the community, the EveryOne
Counts! 2022 PIT Count Planning Committee held planning meetings with various local stakeholders. These
meetings engaged those from City and County departments, community-based service providers, people
experiencing homelessness, and other interested and informed stakeholders. The contributions made by
stakeholders helped inform the 2022 Planning Committee and were instrumental to ensuring the 2022 Alameda
County Point-in-Time Homeless Census and Survey reflected the needs and concerns of the community.
The 2022 Planning Committee identified several important project goals:
• To conduct the PIT Count in such a manner that the health and safety of all participants was a primary
operational consideration and all County Public Health recommended practices were followed in field
work associated with the PIT Count;
• To preserve current federal funding for homeless services and to enhance the ability to raise new funds;
• To improve the ability of policy makers and service providers to plan and implement services that meet
the needs of the local homeless population;
• To measure changes in the numbers and characteristics of the homeless population and track the
community’s progress toward ending homelessness;
• To increase public awareness of overall homeless issues and generate support for constructive solutions;
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• To assess the status of specific subpopulations, including veterans, families, youth, young adults, and
those who are chronically homeless;
• To capture race and equity data;
• To increase integration of jurisdictional support; and
• To automate data collection tools.
FEDERAL DEFINITION OF HOMELESSNESS FOR POINT-IN-TIME COUNTS
In this study, the HUD definition of homelessness for the Point-in-Time Count was used. This definition includes
individuals and families:
• Living in a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designated to provide temporary living
arrangements; or
• With a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as
a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings, including a car, park, abandoned building, bus or
train station, airport, or camping ground.
It should be noted that the broader definition of homelessness defined by the McKinney-Vento Act and used by K-
12 school districts includes persons and families living in “double-up” situations as well as hotels and motels.
However, this definition could not be used for purposes of this report.
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POINT-IN-TIME CENSUS
The 2022 Alameda County Point-in-Time Homeless Census represents a complete enumeration of all sheltered
and unsheltered persons experiencing homelessness. It consisted of two primary components:
• General Street Count: An early morning count of unsheltered homeless individuals and families on
February 23, 2022 by group size, type of living structure, and census tract. This included those sleeping
outdoors on the street; at bus and train stations; in parks, tents, and makeshift shelters; and in vehicles
and abandoned properties.
• General Shelter Count: A nighttime count of homeless individuals and families staying at publicly and
privately-operated shelters on February 22, 2022. This included those who occupied emergency shelters,
transitional housing, and safe havens and a few safe parking programs for RVs that met HUD’s definition
of a sheltered location in new guidance issued for the 2022 PIT Count.
The Point-in-Time Census also included the following supplemental and important components:
• Targeted Street Count of Unaccompanied Children and Young Adults: A limited afternoon count of
unsheltered unaccompanied children under 18 and unaccompanied youth 18-24 years old on February 23,
2022.
• Homeless Survey: An in-person interview of sheltered and unsheltered individuals conducted by outreach
surveyors in the weeks following the general street count. Data from the survey were used to refine the
Point-in-Time Census estimates; produce race, ethnicity and other demographic information for
unsheltered persons; and generate data for both sheltered and unsheltered persons about all other
survey fields such as duration of homelessness, residency upon becoming homeless, employment and
other service needs, and disabling conditions.
• Safe Parking: Census and household data were provided by safe parking programs throughout the
County to be deduplicated from and compiled with the general street Count data.
• Unsheltered Family Homelessness: With HUD permission this year, providers from McKinney-Vento
programs in local school districts and family Coordinated Entry resource centers whose caseload includes
families who experience unsheltered homelessness contacted those families within 7 days following the
Count, asked where the family stayed the night of the Count, and gathered additional household
information.
For more information regarding the research methodology, please see Appendix A: Methodology.
This section of the report provides a summary of the results of the Point-in-Time Census. For comparison, results
from prior years are provided to better understand the trends and characteristics of homelessness over time.
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POINT-IN-TIME COUNT – KEY DATA
FINDINGS
The EveryOne Counts! 2022 Homeless Census and Survey included a complete enumeration of all unsheltered and
publicly or privately sheltered homeless persons. The general street Count was conducted on February 23, 2022
from approximately 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and covered all of Alameda County. The shelter Count was conducted
on the previous evening and included all individuals staying in emergency shelters, transitional housing facilities,
and domestic violence shelters. The general street Count and shelter Count methodology were similar to 2019,
but some modifications were made to maximize safe participation for the general street Count in response to the
COVID-19 pandemic.
The methodology used for the general street count is commonly described as a “blitz count” since it is conducted
by a large team over a very short period of time. This method was utilized in Alameda County in 2022, resulting in
an observation-based Count of individuals and families who appeared to be homeless.
The occupancy (person and household) and demographic data of homeless shelters, transitional housing, and safe
haven programs in Alameda County was collected for the night of February 22, 2022. All shelter data were
gathered directly from the sheltering program or from Alameda County’s Homeless Management Information
System (HMIS), except for one program for which data was estimated.
The sheltered and unsheltered Count was followed by an in-person survey of a representative sample of sheltered
and unsheltered persons experiencing homelessness, the results of which were used to profile and estimate the
condition and characteristics of the local homeless population. Information collected from the survey was used to
fulfill HUD demographic reporting requirements (age, gender, ethnicity, race, and disabling conditions) for
unsheltered persons in conjunction with the sheltered occupancy and demographic data.
In a continuing effort to improve data on the extent of youth homelessness, Alameda County also conducted a
dedicated youth Count. For more information regarding the dedicated youth Count, deduplication, and project
methodology, please see Appendix A: Methodology.
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NUMBER AND CHARACTERISTICS OF HOMELESS
PERSONS
Total Population and Trend Data
A total of 9,747 individuals experiencing homelessness were counted on February 23, 2022, an increase of 1,725
individuals (+22%) from 2019.
Figure 1. Total Number of Homeless Persons Enumerated During the Point-in-Time Count
Shelter Status
While the number of individuals served by countywide shelters increased (+55%) between 2019 and 2022, there
was an increase of 823 unsheltered individuals (+13%). In 2022, 73% of the people experiencing homelessness in
Alameda County were unsheltered (79% in 2019).
Figure 2. Total Number of Homeless Persons by Shelter Status
Year 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2022
Unsheltered 2,106 1,927 1,643 1,766 1,710 2,612
Sheltered 2,072 2,337 2,397 3,863 6,312 7,135
Total 4,178 4,264 4,040 5,629 8,022 9,747
4,178 4,264 4,040
5,629
8,022
9,747
2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2022
27%73%2022
Sheltered Unsheltered
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Almost one third (31%) of the unsheltered population were residing in tents or makeshift shelters. An additional
33% were residing in cars or vans, 22% in RVs, and 13% were identified sleeping on the streets and other outdoor
locations. One percent (1%) were identified in abandoned buildings.
While the number of individuals sleeping on the streets and other outdoor locations decreased by 23% (282
individuals), the number of individuals sleeping in tents increased by 2% (44 individuals) and the number of
persons residing in their vehicles (cars, vans or RVs) increased by 39% (1,102 individuals).
Figure 3. Total Number of Homeless Persons by Location
Emergency
Shelter
Transitional
Housing Vehicle Tent Street/
Outdoors
Abandoned
Building
2022 21%
(n=2,075)
6%
(n=537)
40%
(n=3,919)
23%
(n=2,216)
10%
(n=957)
<1%
(n=43)
2019 15%
(n=1,163)
7%
(n=547)
35%
(n=2,817)
27%
(n=2,172)
15%
(n=1,239)
1%
(n=84)
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Household Status and Age
Persons in families with at least one adult and one child under age 18 represented approximately 9% of the
overall population experiencing homelessness in Alameda County, a slight increase (+2%) over 2019. The majority
of persons in families (62%) were enumerated in shelters or transitional housing programs.
Ninety-one percent (91%) of the population were single individuals. Seventy-seven percent (77%) of single
individuals were unsheltered.
Figure 4. Total Number of Homeless Persons by Household Type, Age, and Shelter Status
POPULATION UNSHELTERED SHELTERED TOTAL TOTAL PERCENT
Persons in Families
with Children 322 522 844 9%
Children under 18 188 298 486 5%
Youth 18-24 22 47 69 <1%
Adults 25+ 112 177 289 3%
Single Individuals 6,813 2,090 8,903 91%
Children under 18 88 9 97 1%
Youth 18-24 574 161 735 8%
Adults 25+ 6,151 1,920 8,071 83%
Note: Single Individuals include couples without children and unaccompanied children and youth without a parent or guardian.
HOUSEHOLD STATUS AND GENDER
Overall, 62% of the population experiencing homelessness in Alameda County identified as male, 37% as female,
<1% (n=49) as transgender, <1% (n=52) as gender non-conforming, and <1% (n=34) as Questioning.
Figure 5. Total Number of Homeless Persons by Gender
2019 n= 8,022; 2022 n=9,747 2019 and 2022 Homeless Count data sourced from the survey responses in the respective years and includes some HMIS data for shelter residents
when available. Questioning added as a response option in 2022.
35%37%
61%62%
2%
<1%2%<1%<1%
2019 2022
Female Male Transgender Gender Non-Conforming Questioning
21 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
Fifty-nine percent (59%) of the overall population identified as male single individuals, while 5% of people
identified as female in families, including children.
Figure 6. Total Number of Homeless Persons by Household Type, Gender, and Shelter Status
POPULATION UNSHELTERED SHELTERED TOTAL TOTAL PERCENT
Persons in Families 322 522 844 9%
Male 112 207 319 3%
Female 203 313 516 5%
Transgender 0 1 1 <1%
Gender Non-Conforming 0 1 1 <1%
Questioning 7 0 7 <1%
Single Individuals 6,813 2,090 8,903 91%
Male 4,333 1,384 5,717 59%
Female 2,378 682 3,060 31%
Transgender 34 14 48 <1%
Gender Non-Conforming 41 10 51 <1%
Questioning 27 0 27 <1%
22 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
Ethnicity and Race
The U.S. Census Bureau as well as HUD report race and ethnicity separately. In 2022, 25% of individuals
experiencing homelessness identified as Hispanic/Latinx.
Figure 7. Total Number of Homeless Persons by Hispanic/Latinex Ethnicity
2020 General Population n=;1,661,584; 2019 Homeless Count n=8,022; 2022 Homeless Count n=9,747 2019 and 2022 Homeless Count data sourced from the survey responses in the respective years and includes some HMIS data for shelter residents when available.
Figure 8. Total Number of Homeless Persons by Race1
2020 General Population n=1,661,584; 2019 Homeless Count n=8,022; 2022 Homeless Count n=9,747 2019 and 2022 Homeless Count data sourced from the survey responses in the respective years and includes some HMIS data for shelter residents
when available. Note: Percentages may not add up to 100 due to rounding.
1 U.S. Census Bureau. (2020). American Community Survey 2020 5-Year Estimates. Table DP05: ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates. Retrieved July 2022 from http://factfinder2.census.gov.
23%17%25%
77%83%75%
2020 Alameda County General Population 2019 Homeless Count 2022 Homeless Count
Hispanic/Latinx Non-Hispanic/ Latinx
10%
38%
8%1%
31%
1%
47%
31%
14%
4%2%2%
43%39%
7%4%5%3%
Black or African American White Other/Multi-race American Indian or Alaska Native Asian Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
2020 Alameda County General Population 2019 Homeless Count 2022 Homeless Count
23 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
Individuals identifying as Black/African American were overrepresented in the population experiencing
homelessness. An estimated 43% of persons experiencing homelessness identified as Black/African American
compared to 10% of the county’s overall population. Alternatively, 5% of those counted identified as Asian
compared to 31% of the general population.
GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION
Similar to 2019, the population of individuals experiencing homelessness in Alameda County was concentrated in
the urban centers. Over half (52%) were enumerated in Oakland, followed by 11% each in Berkeley and Fremont.
Five percent (5%) of those experiencing homelessness were located in Union City and 4% were in Hayward.
Figure 9. Total Number of Homeless Persons by Jurisdiction and Shelter Status
2019 2022
Jurisdiction Sheltered Unsheltered Total
Count Total % Sheltered Unsheltered Total
Count Total %
Alameda 99 132 231 3% 84 180 264 3%
Albany 0 35 35 <1% 0 23 23 <1%
Berkeley 295 813 1,108 14% 254 803 1,057 11%
Dublin 0 8 8 <1% 0 29 29 <1%
Emeryville 0 178 178 2% 0 91 91 1%
Fremont 123 485 608 8% 160 866 1,026 11%
Hayward 115 372 487 6% 114 267 381 4%
Livermore 85 179 264 3% 68 174 242 2%
Newark 30 59 89 1% 26 32 58 1%
Oakland 861 3,210 4,071 51% 1,718 3,337 5,055 52%
Piedmont 0 0 0 0% 0 42 42 <1%
Pleasanton 0 70 70 1% 0 72 72 1%
San Leandro 74 344 418 5% 97 312 409 4%
Union City 0 106 106 1% 0 489 489 5%
Unincorporated 28 321 349 4% 91 418 509 5%
Total 1,710 6,312 8,022 100% 2,612 7,135 9,747 100%
24 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
While jurisdictional data provide some insight into the population of persons experiencing homelessness,
individuals were not spread equally within these locations. All 360 census tracts in Alameda County were covered
on February 23, 2022. Census tract level data provides a more nuanced distribution of where individuals were
located on the morning of the Count.
Figure 10. Total Number of Homeless Persons by Census Tract
25 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
SUBPOPULATIONS
Home, Together: The Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness outlines national objectives and
evaluative measures for ending homelessness in the United States. To adequately address the diversity within the
population experiencing homelessness, the federal government identified four subpopulations with particular
challenges or needs. Consequently, these subpopulations represent important reportable indicators for
measuring local progress toward ending homelessness. Additional detail on single adults, families,
unaccompanied children and transition-age youth, veterans, and chronically homeless populations are provided in
the subpopulation section of this report on page 41. Definitions of these groups are found on page 66.
REPORTED SUBPOPULATIONS
In 2022, 9% of the overall population experiencing homelessness were persons in families with children under the
age of 18 (844 individuals). This is an increase from 2019, when families represented 7% of the population (524
individuals). Unaccompanied children and transition-age youth represented 9% of the overall population in 2022
as in 2019.
Twenty-eight percent (28%) of the population were identified as chronically homeless in 2022; while this was
consistent with the percentage of the population identified as chronically homeless in 2019, the number
increased by 492 individuals. Six percent (6%) of the population were identified as veterans, down from 9% in
2019.
Adults with serious mental illness comprised nearly one-quarter (24%) of the population in 2022. The percentage
of adults living with HIV/AIDS decreased from prior years (1% compared to 3%).
Figure 11. Federally Reported Subpopulations
2017 2019 2022
# % # % # %
Persons in Families with Children 711 13% 524 7% 844 9%
Unaccompanied Children and TAY 991 18% 731 9% 832 9%
Chronically Homeless 1,652 29% 2,236 28% 2,728 28%
Veterans 531 9% 692 9% 550 6%
Adults with Serious Mental Illness 1,622 29% 2,590 32% 2,348 24%
Adults with HIV/AIDS 157 3% 207 3% 98 1%
Total Population 5,629 8,022 9,747
26 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
SURVEY FINDINGS
This section provides an overview of the findings generated from the survey component of the EveryOne Counts!
2022 Homeless Census and Survey. Surveys were administered to a randomized sample of homeless individuals
between February 24 and April 8, 2022. This effort resulted in 1,517 complete and unique surveys of sheltered
and unsheltered persons.
Based on a Point-in-Time Count of 9,747 homeless persons, with a randomized survey sampling process, these
1,517 valid surveys represent a confidence interval of +/- 2.5% with a 95% confidence level when generalizing the
results of the survey to the entire estimated population of homeless individuals in Alameda County. In other
words, if the survey were conducted again, we can be 95% certain that the results would be within two and a half
percentage points of the current results.
In order to respect respondent privacy and to ensure the safety and comfort of those who participated,
respondents were not required to complete all survey questions. Missing values were intentionally omitted from
the survey results. Therefore, the total number of respondents for each question will not always equal the total
number of surveys conducted. For more information regarding the survey methodology, please see Appendix A:
Methodology.
LIVING ACCOMMODATIONS
Where individuals lived prior to experiencing homelessness and where they have lived since impacts the way they
seek services as well as their ability to access support from friends or family. Previous circumstances can also
point to gaps in the system of care and to opportunities for systemic improvement and homelessness prevention.
27 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
PLACE OF RESIDENCE
Knowing where individuals were living prior to their housing loss informs discussions regarding how local the
homeless population is to the region and where to scale prevention efforts. This information can also influence
changes to available support systems if the CoC finds increasing numbers of individuals living locally before
experiencing homelessness.
Eighty-two percent (82%) of respondents reported living in Alameda County at the time they most recently
became homeless, an increase since 2019. Fourteen percent (14%) reported living in another county in California;
this included 2% from San Francisco and 4% from Contra Costa County. Four percent (4%) reported living out of
state at the time they lost their housing.
2019 n=1,633; 2022 n=1,388 Note: Percentages may not add up to 100 due to rounding.
In total, 68% of respondents reported they had been living in Alameda County for 10 years or more (this included
individuals who were born or grew up in the county), more than in 2019. Nine percent (9%) of the population had
been living in Alameda County for less than one year.
Figure 13. Length of Time Spent in Alameda County (All Respondents)
2019 n=1,460; 2022 n=1,181 2019 Refuse=6%; 2022 Refuse=4% Note: Percentages may not add up to 100 due to rounding.
57%
14%
13%
12%
68%
9%
14%
9%
10 years or more
5-9 years
1-4 years
Less than 1
year
2022 2019
78%
14%3%
82%
14%4%
Alameda County Other CA County Out of State
2019 2022
Figure 12. Location of Residence When Most Recently Becoming Homeless (All Respondents)
28 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
Prior Living Arrangements
Similar to previous place of residence, the type of living arrangements maintained by individuals before
experiencing homelessness provides a look into what types of homeless prevention services might be offered to
help individuals maintain their housing.
Where individuals were living varied by whether or not it was the first-time they had experienced homelessness.
Forty-one percent (41%) of respondents who were experiencing homelessness for the first-time reported living in
a home owned or rented by themselves or a partner immediately prior to becoming homeless, compared to 29%
of respondents who had a prior homeless experience. Thirty-five percent (35%) of first-time homeless
respondents reported staying with friends or family, 2% in subsidized housing, 3% in a motel or hotel, and 5% in a
jail or prison facility. Among those with a prior homeless experience, 32% reported staying with friends of family,
10% in a motel or hotel, 3% in subsidized housing and 5% in jail or prison.
Figure 14. Living Arrangements Immediately Prior to Becoming Homeless by First Time Homelessness
2019 first time n=492, multiple experiences n=1,013, refuse n=88; 2022 first time n=417, multiple experiences n=958, refuse n=51 Note: Percentages may not add up to 100 due to rounding.
2%
5%
5%
4%
10%
3%
10%
29%
32%
1%
3%
5%
2%
3%
2%
7%
41%
35%
Foster Placement
Hospital orTreatment Facility
Jail/Prison
Refuse
Motel/Hotel
Subsidized Housing
Other
A Home Owned or Rentedby You or Your Partner
With Friends/Relatives
First Time Multiple Experiences
29 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
DURATION AND RECURRENCE OF HOMELESSNESS
Unstable living conditions, poverty, housing scarcity, and many other issues often lead to some individuals falling
into homelessness. For some, the experience of homelessness is part of a recurring history of housing instability.
While there is research to show that housing instability has many of the same effects as literal homelessness,
particularly on families and children, extended periods of homelessness affect one’s ability to obtain housing and
employment and increase one’s health risks.2 The length of time individuals remain on the street can also indicate
the strain on the homeless assistance and housing systems.
Thirty-one percent (31%) of 2022 survey respondents reported experiencing homelessness for the first time, the
same as 2019 at 31%.
Figure 15. Experiencing Homelessness for the First time
2022 n=1,420
Some individuals who experience homelessness will also experience episodes of stable housing. Thirty-six percent
(36%) of respondents reported experiencing homelessness three or more times in the past three years.
Figure 16. Number of Episodes of Homelessness in the Past Three Years
2019 n=1,482; 2022 n=1,390; Note: Percentages may not add up to 100 due to rounding.
2 Buckner, J.C. (2008). Understanding the impact of homelessness on children: Challenges and future research directions. American Behavioral Scientist 51 (6), 721-736.
31%69%2022
Yes No
50%
21%
13%
6%3%8%
45%
19%15%
5%3%
13%
1 Time 2 Times 3 Times 4 Times 5 Times 6 Times or More
2019 2022
30 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
The majority (75%) of survey respondents reported their current episode of homelessness lasting for one year or
longer. Three percent (3%) of respondents reported having been on the street for one week or less.
Figure 17. Length of Current Episode of Homelessness
2019 n=1,500; 2022 n=1,371
Respondents were asked the age at which they first experienced homelessness. This question provides some
insight into how homelessness and housing instability affect the population over their lifetime. Thirteen percent
(13%) of respondents first experienced homelessness as a child under the age of 18, 18% first experienced
homelessness as a young adult between the ages of 18 and 24, and over two-thirds (69%) reported their first-time
experiencing homelessness occurred over the age of 24. Nineteen percent (19%) reported their first experience of
homelessness at age 50 or older. In contrast, 6% of those identified in the Count were under the age of 18, 8%
were between the ages of 18 and 24, and 86% were 25 years or older.
Figure 18. Age at First Experience of Homelessness
2019 n=1,518; 2022 n=1,397 Note: Percentages may not add up to 100 due to rounding.
2%3%6%11%10%
69%
3%2%4%9%7%
75%
7 Days or Less 8-30 Days 1-3 Months 4-6 Months 7-11 Months 1 Year or More
2019 2022
12%14%
35%
21%
14%
4%
13%
18%
32%
18%17%
2%
0-17 Years Old 18-24 Years Old 25-39 Years 40-49 Years 50-64 Years 65 Years or Older
2019 2022
31 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
PRIMARY CAUSE OF HOMELESSNESS
The primary cause of an individual’s inability to obtain or retain housing is often difficult to pinpoint as it is often
the result of multiple and compounding causes. An inability to secure adequate housing can also lead to an
inability to address other basic needs, such as healthcare and adequate nutrition.
When asked to identify the primary event or condition that led to their current homelessness experience from a
limited list of predominantly personal responses, 27% reported an issue staying with family or friends, 25%
reported eviction/foreclosure/rent increase and 22% reported job loss. Thirteen percent (13%) reported other
money issues or substance use issues (13%).
Although not among the five most frequent responses, other reported causes of homelessness included
family/domestic violence (12%), mental health needs (11%).
Figure 19. Primary Cause of Homelessness (Top Five Responses)
2022 n=1,410 Note: Multiple response questions, percentages will not add up to 100.
IMPACTS FROM COVID-19 AND CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES
In an effort to better understand recent drivers of homelessness, survey respondents were asked specifically if the
primary cause of their homelessness (as shown in the chart above) was related to the COVID-19 pandemic or a
California wildfire. Sixteen percent (16%) of respondents attributed their homelessness to the COVID-19 pandemic
and 1% to a California wildfire.
Figure 20. COVID-19/Wildfire Causing Homelessness
2022 n=1,274
13%
13%
22%
25%
27%
Substance Use
Other money issues including medical bills, etc.
Job loss
Eviction/Foreclosure/Rent increase
Family or friends couldn’t let me stay or argument with family/friend/roommate
16%
1%
83%2022
COVID-19 California Wildfire Neither
32 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY
While limited data are available on the number of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ)
individuals experiencing homelessness, available data suggest that LGBTQ individuals experience homelessness at
higher rates – especially among those under the age of 25.3 4
Nine percent (9%) of survey respondents identified as LGBTQ in 2022. Of those, 46% identified as bisexual, 14% as
gay, 18% as lesbian, 6% as transgender, and 7% as queer. Ten percent (10%) of LGBTQ respondents reported an
unspecified identity by selecting “a gender not singularly female or male” or “other”. Respondents were allowed
to mark multiple identities and therefore responses may exceed 100 percent.
Figure 21. Sexual and Gender Identity
BREAKOUT OF RESPONDENTS ANSWERING “YES”
Gay 14%
Lesbian 18%
Queer 7%
Bisexual 46%
Transgender 6%
Questioning 4%
A gender not singularly female or
male 3%
Other 7%
LGBTQ+ 2022 n=1,467, Breakout n=136 respondents offering 144 responses Note: Multiple response question, percentages will not add up to 100.
3 True colors. (2017). Our Issue. 40% of Youth Experiencing Homelessness Identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender (LGBT). Retrieved 2017 from https://truecolorsfund.org/our-issue/
4 National Coalition for the Homeless. LGBT Homelessness. Retrieved 2017 from http://nationalhomeless.org/issues/lgbt/
9%
91%
LGBTQ+ Status
Yes No
33 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
FOSTER CARE SYSTEM
It has been estimated that one in five former foster youth experience homelessness within four years of exiting
the foster care system.5 In California, foster youth are now eligible to receive services beyond age 18. Transitional
housing and supportive services for youth aged 18-24 are provided through programs often referred to as
Transitional Housing Placement-Plus (THP-+). It is hoped that these additional supports, implemented in 2012, will
assist foster youth with the transition to independence and prevent them from becoming homeless.
In 2022, 14% of survey respondents reported a history of foster care. No youth under age 25 reported that aging
out of the foster care system was the primary cause of their homelessness. While there were a number of adults
over age 25 who reported a foster care history, just 1% reported aging out of care as the cause of their
homelessness.
Figure 22. History of Foster Care
2019 n=1,579; 2022 n=1,411
5 Fernandes, A.L. (2007). Runaway and homeless youth: Demographics, programs, and emerging issues. Congressional Research Services, January 2007. Retrieved from http://www.endhomelessness.org/content/general/detail/1451.
15%
14%
85%
86%
2019
2022
Yes No
34 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
Homelessness and incarceration are often correlative. Individuals without stable housing are at greater risk of
criminal justice system involvement, particularly those with mental health issues, veterans, and youth. Individuals
with past incarceration histories face significant barriers to exiting homelessness due to stigmatization and
policies affecting their ability to gain employment and access housing opportunities.6
Thirty percent (30%) of respondents reported interactions with the criminal justice system in the past year
including probation, parole, court appearances, arrests, tickets, etc. at the time of the survey.
Figure 23. Criminal Justice Involvement
2022 n=1,348
6 Greenberg, GA, Rosenheck, RA. (2008). Jail Incarceration, Homelessness, and Mental Health: A National Study. Psychiatric Services, 2008 Feb;59(2): 170-7.
30%70%2022
Yes No
35 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
HEALTH
The average life expectancy for individuals experiencing homelessness is 25 years less than those in stable
housing. Without regular access to healthcare and without safe and stable housing, individuals experience
preventable illness and often endure longer hospitalizations. It is estimated that those experiencing homelessness
stay four days (or 36%) longer per hospital admission than non-homeless patients.7
HEALTH CONDITIONS
The most frequently reported health condition was psychiatric or emotional conditions (49%), followed by post-
traumatic stress disorder (42%), and chronic health problems (34%). Thirty-three percent (33%) reported a
physical disability, 30% reported drug or alcohol abuse, 17% a developmental disability, 14% reported a traumatic
brain injury, and 2% reported living with an AIDS or an HIV related condition.
Forty percent (40%), or 604 respondents, reported at least one of these conditions was disabling, preventing them
from maintaining work or housing. Nearly twenty percent (18%) reported three or more of these disabling
conditions.
Figure 24. Health Conditions
Health Conditions: 2022 Psychiatric or emotional condition n=1,315, PTSD n=1,294, Chronic health problems n=1,332, Physical disability n=1,313, Drug or alcohol abuse n=1,294, Developmental disability n=1,276, Traumatic brain injury n=1,311, AIDS/HIV related n=1,300; offering 2,889 “yes” responses; Impacts Housing, Employment, or Independent Living Status: Psychiatric or emotional condition n=517, PTSD n=439, Chronic health problems n=376, Physical disability n=345, Drug or alcohol abuse n=299, Developmental disability n=172, Traumatic brain injury n=144, AIDS/HIV related n=20; offering 1,572 “yes” responses
Note: Multiple response question, percentages will not add up to 100.
7 Sharon A. Salit, M. E. (1998). Hospitalization Costs Associated with Homelessness in New York City. New England Journal of Medicine, 338, 1734-1740.
65%
74%
67%
71%
71%
64%
64%
68%
2%
17%
14%
34%
33%
30%
42%
49%
HIV/AIDS
A Developmental Disability
Traumatic Brain Injury
Chronic Health
A Physical Disability
Drug/Alcohol Abuse
PTSD
Psyciatric/Emotional Conditions
% Yes Respondents for Health Condition
% Yes Respondents Who Say Condition Affects Housing, Employment, or Independent Living Status
36 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
Prevalence of reported health conditions were relatively similar between unsheltered and sheltered survey
respondents. The most frequently reported conditions among both populations remained psychological or
emotional conditions, post-traumatic stress disorder, and chronic health problems.
Figure 25. Health Conditions by Shelter Status
Unsheltered n=798-824; Sheltered n=586-592 Note: Multiple response questions, percentages will not add up to 100.
COVID-19
The majority (68%) of those surveyed reported having received a COVID-19 vaccine.
Figure 26. COVID-19 Vaccine Status
2022 n=1,352
43%
30%
36%
29%29%
13%
2%
50%
24%
43%
37%
33%
14%
2%
Psychiatric or Emotional Conditions
Drug or Alcohol Abuse PTSD Chronic Health Problems Physical Disability Traumatic Brain Injury AIDS/HIV Related
2022 Unsheltered 2022 Sheltered
68%32%2022
Yes No
37 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
DOMESTIC/PARTNER VIOLENCE OR ABUSE
Histories of domestic violence and partner abuse are prevalent among individuals experiencing homelessness, and
can be the primary cause of homelessness for many. Survivors often lack the financial resources required for
housing, as their employment history or dependable income may be limited.
Six percent (6%) of survey respondents reported currently experiencing domestic violence or abuse. There was a
slight difference between unsheltered and sheltered respondents (7% and 5% respectively). Domestic violence did
vary by gender, as 5% of male respondents reported currently experiencing domestic violence compared to 7% of
females.
Thirty-one percent (31%) of respondents reported a history of domestic violence or abuse over their lifetime. This
also varied by gender, with 22% of male, 41% of female, 25% of transgender, and 31% of gender non-conforming
respondents reporting experiencing domestic violence in their lifetime.
Figure 27. Domestic Violence
Current Experience Lifetime Experience
Current Experience 2019 n=1,498, 2022 n=1,305; Lifetime experience 2019 n=1,492, 2022 n=1,363
Figure 28. History of Domestic Violence by Gender
2019 Male n=941, Female n=609, Transgender n=26, Gender Non-Conforming n=38; 2022 Male n=853, Female n=552, Transgender n=8, Gender Non-
Conforming n=13
17%
40%39%
16%22%
41%
25%31%
Male Female Transgender Gender Non-Conforming
2019 2022
7%
6%
93%
94%
2019
2022
Yes No
28%
31%
72%
69%
2019
2022
Yes No
38 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
SERVICES AND ASSISTANCE
Alameda County provides services and assistance to those currently experiencing homelessness through federal
and local programs. However, many individuals and families do not apply for services, as many believe that they
are ineligible for assistance. Connecting homeless individuals and families to these support services creates a
bridge to mainstream support services and can prevent future housing instability.
Preventing Homelessness
Forty-nine percent (49%) of survey respondents reported that rent assistance could have prevented them from
experiencing homelessness. Employment assistance (37%) and benefits/income (26%) were also top responses.
Figure 29. Preventing Homelessness (Top Five Responses)
2022 n=1,236 respondents offering 3,525 responses Note: Multiple response question, percentages will not add up to 100.
Shelter Services
When asked what prevents them from using shelter services, survey respondents cited a number of reasons. Ten
percent (10%) said they do not use them because of concerns for personal safety, 8% cited curfews or inability to
stay with their partner/family, and 7% reported bugs being a deterrent or not knowing what shelter services are
available.
Figure 30. Reasons for Not Using Shelter Services (Top Five Reasons)
n=1,342 respondents offering 1,582 responses Note: Multiple response question, percentages will not add up to 100.
49%
37%
27%26%23%
Rent assistance Employment assistance Mental health services Benefits/income Family counseling
10%8%8%7%7%
Concerns for Personal Safety Curfews Can't stay with Partner/Family Don’t Know what Shelter Services are Available
Bugs
39 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
EMPLOYMENT, INCOME, AND BENEFITS
Income and Benefits
Almost one third (31%) of individuals surveyed reported receiving food stamps/SNAP/WIC/Cal Fresh benefits.
Twenty-one percent (21%) reported being on MediCal/Medicare. Five percent (5%) reported receiving COVID-19
related assistance including increased unemployment assistance.
Figure 31. Income or Benefits Currently Being Received (Top Five Responses and Refuse)
2022 n=1,428 respondents providing 1,889 responses Note: Multiple response question, percentages will not add up to 100.
Employment Status
A third (33%) of those surveyed indicated they are not employed and are unable to work, while another 36%
reported they are not employed, but are looking for work. Eighteen percent (18%) reported being employed
either full time, part time, or seasonally.
Figure 32. Current Employment Status
2022 n=1,411
8%
8%
12%
17%
21%
31%
Refuse
Social Security
General Assistance (GA)
SSI/SSDI/Disability
Medi-Cal/Medicare
Food Stamps/SNAP/WIC/CalFresh
8%9%1%
36%33%
13%
Employed Full
Time
Employed Part
Time
Employed Seasonal Not Employed -
Looking for Work
Not Employed -
Unable to Work
Not Employed -
Not Looking for
Work
40 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
Barriers to Employment
Issues relating to physical and mental health contributed to the top factors keeping those surveyed from
employment. Having a disability was the most reported reason for not being employed at 34% followed by 25%
reporting health problems more generally, and 20% reporting mental health issues as a barrier. Two of the top
five reasons were not related to health conditions.
Figure 33. Barriers to Employment (Top Five Responses)
2022 n=1,277 respondents offering 3,314 responses Note: Multiple response question, percentages will not add up to 100.
34%
25%22%20%19%
A disability Health problems No transportation Mental health issues Need clothing/shower
facilities
41 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
SELECT POPULATIONS
Home, Together: The Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness outlines national objectives and
evaluative measures for ending homelessness among all populations in the United States.
In order to adequately address the diversity within the population experiencing homelessness, the federal
government identifies four subpopulations with particular challenges or needs, including:
• Families with children;
• Chronic homelessness among people with disabilities;
• Veterans; and
• Unaccompanied children and transition-age youth.
Consequently, these select populations represent important reportable indicators for measuring local progress
toward ending homelessness.
The following sections examine each of these four select populations, as well as single adults over age 25,
identifying the number and characteristics of individuals included in the EveryOne Counts! 2022 Homeless Census
and Survey. Survey data, in conjunction with the census data, is the primary source of the following sections.
42 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
SINGLE ADULTS 25 YEARS AND OLDER
The largest number of people experiencing homelessness are adults age 25 or older in households without
children. This population is often referred to as single adults age 25 or older, though it may include married or
unmarried couples and multi-adult households. It is often assumed that this population has high medical and
mental health needs, yet data suggests that most of this population does not.8
Number of Single Adults 25 Years and Older
In 2022, single adults ages 25 years and older comprised 83% of the population experiencing homelessness in
Alameda County (8,071 individuals). Unsheltered single adults 25 years and older represented 86% of the overall
unsheltered population (6,151 individuals).
Figure 34. Number of Single Adults 25 Years and Older Enumerated During the Point-in-Time Count by Shelter
Status
2022 n=8,071
First Time Occurrence and Length of Homelessness Among Single Adults 25 Years and Older
First time homelessness was similar between unsheltered and sheltered single adults ages 25 and older, 28%
compared to 29% respectively.
Almost two thirds (63%) of unsheltered single adults ages 25 and older reported experiencing homelessness for
more than one year, compared to 67% of sheltered single adults.
Figure 35. Length of Current Episode of Homelessness Among Single Adults 25 years and Older
Unsheltered Single Adults 25+ n=648, Sheltered Single Adults 25+ n=429 Source: 2022 Alameda County Housing Survey Note: Percentages may not add up to 100 due to rounding.
8 NAEH. (July 2016). End Single Adult Homelessness, Retrieved 2017 from http://www.endhomelessness.org/page/-
/files/End%20Single%20Homelessness_Final.pdf
76%24%2022
Unsheltered Sheltered
2%1%3%7%6%17%
63%
2%1%3%9%8%10%
67%
7 days or less 8-30 days 1-3 months 4-6 months 7-11 months 1 year More than 1 year
Unsheltered Single Adults 25+Sheltered Single Adults 25+
43 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
Prior Living Situation of Single Adults 25 Years and Older
Unsheltered single adults ages 25 and older most often reported staying in a home with friends or relatives prior
to experiencing homelessness; sheltered single adults ages 25 and older most frequently reported staying in a
home owned or rented by friends or relatives or in a home owned or rented by them or their partner.
Figure 36. Living Arrangements Immediately Prior to Becoming Homeless This Time Among Single Adults 25 Years
and Older (Top Five Responses)
Unsheltered Single Adults 25+ n= 659, Sheltered Single Adults 25+ n=424
Source: 2022 Alameda County Housing Survey Primary Cause of Homelessness and Prevention Services Needed Among Single Adults 25 Years
and Older
The most frequently reported cause of homelessness was an inability to stay with friends/family or an argument
with family/friend/roommate, by 27% of unsheltered single adults 25 and older and 31% of sheltered single adults
25 and older. Twenty-five percent (25%) of unsheltered and 23% of sheltered single adults 25 years or older
reported eviction/foreclosure as the primary cause of their homelessness. Twenty-two percent (22%) of
unsheltered and sheltered single adults 25 years or older cited job loss as the primary cause.
Figure 37. Primary Cause of Homelessness Among Single Adults 25 Years and Older (Top Five Responses)
Unsheltered Single Adults 25+ n=669, Sheltered Single Adults 25+ n=442 Source: 2022 Alameda County Housing Survey Note: Multiple response question, percentages will not add up to 100.
37%35%
7%7%6%
32%32%
9%4%14%
With Friends/Relatives A Home Owned or Rented by You or Your Partner
Motel/Hotel Jail/Prison Other
Unsheltered Single Adults 25+Sheltered Single Adults 25+
27%25%22%14%14%
31%23%22%14%12%
Can't Stay with Friends/Family Eviction/Foreclosure Job Loss Other Money Issues Substance Use
Unsheltered Single Adults 25+Sheltered Single Adults 25+
44 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
Nearly one-half (47%) of both unsheltered and sheltered single adults 25 years and older most frequently
reported that rental assistance would have helped to prevent their housing loss. Unsheltered and sheltered single
adults 25 years and older reported needing similar support overall, although sheltered single adults 25 years and
older cited family counseling as a bigger need than those that are unsheltered (29% and 19% respectively).
Figure 38. Support Needed to Prevent Housing Loss Among Single Adults 25 Years and Older (Top Five Responses)
Unsheltered Single Adults 25+ n=597 offering 1,698 responses; Sheltered Single Adults 25+ n=382 offering 1,089 responses
Source: 2022 Alameda County Housing Survey Note: Multiple response question, percentages will not add up to 100.
Health Conditions Among Single Adults 25 Years and Older
Unsheltered single adults 25 years and older most often reported psychiatric or emotional problems (39%), PTSD
(33%), physical disability (28%), and drug or alcohol abuse tied with chronic health problems (27%). Sheltered
single adults 25 years and older most often reported psychiatric or emotional conditions (49%), PTSD (41%),
chronic health problems (39%), and physical disability (36%). All data are self-reported.
Figure 39. Health Conditions Among Single Adults 25 Years and Older
Unsheltered Single Adults 25+ n=741, Sheltered Single Adults 25+ n=461
Source: 2022 Alameda County Housing Survey Note: Multiple response question, percentages will not add up to 100.
47%36%27%24%19%
47%38%28%27%29%
Rent Assistance Employment Assistance Mental Health Services Benefits/Income Family Counseling
Unsheltered Single Adults 25+Sheltered Single Adults 25+
39%
27%33%28%27%
12%1%
49%
25%
41%36%39%
14%2%
Psychiatric or Emotional Conditions
Drug or Alcohol Abuse PTSD Physical Disability Chronic Health Problems Traumatic Brain Injury AIDS/HIV Related
Unsheltered Single Adults 25+Sheltered Single Adults 25+
45 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN
National data from 2019 suggest that 30% of all people experiencing homelessness are persons in families with
minor children in their care.9 Very few families experiencing homelessness are unsheltered, as public shelters
serve 90% of homeless families in the United States; this is a significantly higher proportion of the population
compared with other subpopulations, including unaccompanied children and transition-age youth. Data on
families experiencing homelessness suggest that they are not much different from other families living in poverty.
Nationally, the majority of homeless families are households headed by single women and families with children
under the age of six.10 Children in families experiencing homelessness have increased incidence of illness and are
more likely to have emotional and behavioral problems than children with stable living accommodations.11
In 2022, additional data collection occurred by Coordinated Entry resource centers and McKinney-Vento school
liaisons serving unsheltered and unstably housed families to identify families who were unsheltered the night of
the Count. It is not possible to discern what portion of the increase, if any, from 2019 to 2022 is from this
additional data collection effort or from an actual increase in unsheltered family homelessness.
Homeless Families with Children
There were 286 families consisting of 844 individuals counted in 2022. The number of people in families with
children represented 9% of the county’s homeless population. Children under 18 represented 58% of those in
families.
Figure 40. Total Number of Homeless Families Enumerated During the Point-in-Time Count
2022 n=286 households, 844 individuals
9 U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. (2019). The 2019 Annual Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress. Retrieved 2022 from
https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/2019-AHAR-Part-1.pdf
10 U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2007). Characteristics and Dynamics of Homeless Families with Children. Retrieved 2015 from http://aspe.hhs.gov/
11 U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. (2015). Opening Doors. Retrieved 2015 from http://www.usich.gov/
38%62%2022
Unsheltered Sheltered
46 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
Primary Cause of Homelessness Among Homeless Families with Children
The most frequently reported cause of homelessness among individuals in families with children was
eviction/foreclosure/rent increase (29%). Additionally, 27% cited family/domestic violence, 16% reported they
could not stay with friends or family, 14% reported job loss, and 11% reported a COVID-19 related issue or other
money issues as the primary cause of their homelessness.
Figure 41. Primary Cause of Homelessness Among Families with Children
Families with Children n=122, Overall Homeless Population n=1,410 Source: 2022 Alameda County Housing Survey
Note: Multiple response question, percentages will not add up to 100.
Health Conditions Among Homeless Families with Children
Forty-two percent (42%) of family respondents reported experiencing psychiatric or emotional conditions. Forty
percent (40%) reported PTSD, 23% reported chronic health problems, 15% reported physical disability, 9%
reported drug or alcohol abuse, 6% reported a traumatic brain injury, and 2% reported living with an AIDS or an
HIV related condition. Compared to all respondents, families with children reported a slightly higher rate of PTSD
and notably lower rates of drug or alcohol abuse and physical disabilities. It is important to recognize that all data
are self-reported.
Figure 42. Health Conditions Among Families with Children
Families with Children n=124, Overall Homeless Population n=1,378
Source: 2022 Alameda County Housing Survey
Note: Multiple response question, percentages will not add up to 100.
29%27%16%14%11%11%8%
25%12%
27%22%
7%13%13%
Eviction/Foreclosure/Rent Increase
Family/Domestic Violence Couldn't Stay with Family or Friends Job Loss COVID-19 Related Issue Other Money Issues Substance Use
Families with Children Overall Homeless Population
42%40%
23%9%15%6%2%
49%39%32%28%31%
13%2%
Psychiatricor Emotional Conditions
PTSD Chronic HealthProblems
Drug or Alcohol Abuse PhysicalDisability Traumatic Brain Injury AIDS/HIVRelated
Families with Children Overall Homeless Population
47 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN AND TRANSITION-AGE
YOUTH
Due to the more challenging outreach experience and greater mobility of youth experiencing homelessness,
limited data are available on unaccompanied children and transition-age youth. Young people experiencing
homelessness may have a harder time accessing services, including shelter, medical care, and employment. This is
due to the stigma of their housing situation, lack of knowledge of available resources, and a dearth of services
targeted to young people.12
In 2012, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness amended the federal strategic plan to end homelessness
to include specific strategies and supports to address the needs of unaccompanied homeless children and
transition-age youth. As part of this effort, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) placed
increased focus on gathering data on unaccompanied homeless children and transition-age youth during the
Point-in-Time Count.
Unaccompanied Children and Transition-Age Youth
Transition-age youth (TAY), those between the ages of 18 and 24 years old, represented 8% of the overall
population experiencing homelessness in Alameda County (735 individuals). Unaccompanied children, under age
18, represented less than 1% of the population (97 individuals).
Figure 43. Total Number of Unaccompanied Children and Transition-Age Youth Enumerated During the Point-in-
Time Count
2022 Transitional Age Youth n=735; Unaccompanied Children n=97
12 National Coalition for the Homeless. (2011). Homeless Youth Fact Sheet. Retrieved 2011 from http://www.nationalhomeless.org.
78%22%2022
Unsheltered Sheltered
9%91%2022
Transitional-Age Youth
Unaccompanied Children
48 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
Primary Cause of Homelessness Among Unaccompanied Homeless Children and Transition-Age Youth
An inability to stay with friends/family or argument with a family, friend, or roommate was the most frequently
cited cause of homelessness among unsheltered unaccompanied youth (45%). Nearly one quarter of
unaccompanied unsheltered youth (23%) and unaccompanied sheltered youth (24%) also frequently attributed
their homelessness to family/domestic violence.
Figure 44. Primary Cause of Homelessness Among Unaccompanied Children and Transition-Age Youth (Top Five
Responses)
Unsheltered Unaccompanied Children and Transition-Age Youth Survey Population n=31; Sheltered Unaccompanied Children and Transition-Age Youth Survey
Population n=21 Source: 2022 Alameda County Housing Survey Note: Multiple response question, percentages will not add up to 100.
Health Conditions Among Unaccompanied Homeless Children and Transition-Age Youth
Though better than the general homeless population, health is still an issue for young people experiencing
homelessness. For six out of seven health conditions, more sheltered youth reported having these conditions
compared to unsheltered youth. For example, 64% of sheltered youth reported psychiatric or emotional
conditions as compared to 16% of unsheltered youth, and 41% of sheltered youth reported PTSD as compared to
24% of unsheltered youth. It is important to recognize that all data are self-reported and influenced by
participant’s self-awareness and knowledge of a diagnosis.
45%
23%
10%6%3%
43%
24%
14%14%14%
Family or friends couldn’t let me stay or argument with family/friend/roommate
Family/Domestic violence Eviction/Foreclosure/RentIncrease Substance Use Other
Unsheltered Unaccompanied Children and Transition-Age Youth
Sheltered Unaccompanied Children and Transition-Age Youth
49 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
Figure 45. Health Conditions Among Unaccompanied Children and Transition-Age Youth
Unsheltered Unaccompanied Children and Transition-Age Youth Survey Population n=37, Sheltered Unaccompanied Children and Transition-Age Youth Survey Population n=22 Source: 2022 Alameda County Housing Survey Note: Note: Multiple response question, percentages will not add up to 100.
Sexual Orientation Among Unaccompanied Children and Transition-Age Youth
Nationally, an estimated 40% of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ. LGBTQ youth remain overrepresented in the
population experiencing homelessness.13 In total, 17% of unaccompanied children and transition-age youth
identified as LGBTQ compared to 9% of adults over 25. Sixteen percent (16%) of sheltered unaccompanied
children and transition-age youth identified as LGBTQ, compared to 18% of unsheltered youth.
Figure 46. Sexual and Gender Identity Among Unaccompanied Children and Transition-Age Youth
Unsheltered Sheltered
2019 Unsheltered n=73, Sheltered n=51; 2022 Unsheltered n=33, Sheltered n=19 Source: 2019 & 2022 Alameda County Housing Survey
13 True Colors Fund. (2017). Our Issue. Retrieved 2017 from https://truecolorsfund.org/our-issue/
24%
8%16%11%3%
22%
0%
41%
9%
64%
14%9%18%
5%
PTSD TBI Psychiatric or Emotional Conditions
Chronic Health Problems Physical Disability Drug or Alcohol Use AIDS/HIV Related
Unsheltered Unaccompanied Children and Transition-Age Youth
Sheltered Unaccompanied Children and Transition-Age Youth
19%
18%
81%
82%
2019
2022
LGBTQ+ Identified
41%
16%
59%
84%
2019
2022
LGBTQ+ Identified
50 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
Foster Care Among Unaccompanied Homeless Children and Transition-Age Youth
Sheltered and unsheltered unaccompanied children and transition-age youth reported similar rates of history of
foster care at 38% for unsheltered and 40% of sheltered.
Figure 47. History of Foster Care Among Unaccompanied Children and Transition-Age Youth
Unsheltered Sheltered
2019 Unsheltered Unaccompanied Children and Transition-Age Youth Survey Population n=72, Sheltered Unaccompanied Children and Transition-
Age Youth Survey Population n=50; 2022 Unsheltered Unaccompanied Children and Transition-Age Youth Survey Population n=34, Sheltered Unaccompanied Children and Transition-Age Youth Survey Population n=20 Source: 2019 & 2022 Alameda County Housing Survey
22%
38%
78%
62%
2019
2022
Yes No
60%
40%
40%
60%
2019
2022
Yes No
51 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
CHRONICALLY HOMELESS PERSONS
HUD defines a chronically homeless person as someone who has experienced homelessness for a year or longer—
or who has experienced at least four episodes of homelessness totaling 12 months in the last three years—and
also has a disabling condition that prevents them from maintaining work or housing. This definition applies to
individuals as well as heads of household who meet the definition.
The chronically homeless population represents one of the most vulnerable populations on the street; the
mortality rate for those experiencing chronic homelessness is four to nine times higher than that of the general
population.14 Data from communities across the country reveal that public costs incurred by those experiencing
extended periods of homelessness include emergency room visits, interactions with law enforcement,
incarceration, and regular access to social supports and homeless services.
In 2019, HUD reported that 96,141 individuals, representing 24% of the overall homeless population, were
experiencing chronic homelessness.15 Chronic homelessness has been increasing in recent years after a long
decline between 2007-2016. To address homelessness, communities across the country have been increasing the
capacity of their permanent supportive housing programs and prioritizing those with the greatest barriers to
housing stability through Coordinated Entry or similar policies.
Number of Chronically Homeless Persons
In total, 2,728 individuals were experiencing chronic homelessness in Alameda County in 2022. Of those, 2,591
were single individuals and 127 were adults and children in 46 households with children under 18 years of age in
Alameda County. Ten (10) were unaccompanied children under age 18.
Figure 48. Total Number of Chronically Homeless Persons Enumerated During the Point-in-Time Count
2022 n=2,728
14 United States Interagency Council on Homelessness. (2010). Supplemental Document to the Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness: June 2010. Retrieved 2017 from https://www.usich.gov/resources/uploads/asset_library/BkgrdPap_ChronicHomelessness.pdf
15 Department of Housing and Urban Development. (2019). Annual Assessment Report to Congress. Retrieved 2022 from https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/2019-AHAR-Part-1.pdf
64%36%2022
Unsheltered Sheltered
52 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
Chronically Homeless Single Individuals
An estimated 2,591 single individuals were chronically homeless in 2022. Sixty-five percent (65%) of those
individuals were unsheltered while 35% were residing in emergency shelter and safe haven programs.
In 2022, chronically homeless individuals represented 27% of the homeless population in Alameda County. This
was a slight increase from 26% in 2019 (2,103 individuals).
Chronically Homeless Families
In 2022, 46 families were experiencing chronic homelessness. The majority (78%) were identified in county
emergency shelters. Fifteen percent (15%) of persons in families were chronically homeless in 2022, compared to
25% in 2019 (the 2022 rate could be in part a by-product of the expanded outreach to unsheltered families).
Primary Cause of Homelessness Among Those Experiencing Chronic Homelessness
Over one quarter of both sheltered and unsheltered chronically homeless survey respondents identified the
primary cause of their homelessness as “family or friends couldn’t let me stay” or “argument with
family/friend/roommate” (30% and 26% respectively). Although not in the top five responses, sheltered
chronically homeless respondents were slightly more likely to report family/domestic violence was the primary
cause of their homelessness (12%) than unsheltered chronic respondents (9%), while unsheltered chronic
respondents more often reported substance use or mental health.
While chronically homeless respondents reported some differences in the initial cause of their homelessness
compared to non-chronic respondents, 82% of both sheltered and unsheltered chronically homeless respondents
reported that neither COVID-19 nor California Wildfires impacted the primary cause for their homelessness.
Figure 49. Primary Cause of Homelessness Among Chronically Homeless Persons (Top Five Responses)
2022 Unsheltered Chronic n=208 respondents offering 450 responses, Sheltered Chronic n=150 respondents offering 284 responses Note: Multiple response question, percentages will not add up to 100. Source: 2022 Alameda County Housing Survey
26%23%24%24%20%
30%
21%17%16%13%
Family or friends couldn't let me stay or argument with family/ friend/ roomate
Mental health needs Eviction/ Foreclosure/ Rent increase
Job loss Substance use
Unsheltered Chronically Homeless Sheltered Chronically Homeless
53 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
Health Conditions Among Those Experiencing Chronic Homelessness
The definition of chronic homelessness requires a condition that prevents an individual from maintaining work or
housing. The definition requires that only one be limiting, however, many chronically homeless respondents
reported experiencing multiple physical or mental health conditions. The following data report all conditions
regardless of severity.
Seventy-one percent (71%) of sheltered chronically homeless survey respondents reported psychiatric or
emotional conditions compared to 65% of unsheltered chronically homeless survey respondents. Fifty-nine
percent (59%) of sheltered chronically homeless reported a chronic health problem or medical condition,
compared to 43% of unsheltered chronically homeless. Fifty-seven percent (57%) of sheltered and 46% of
unsheltered chronically homeless reported physical disability, 59% and 51% (sheltered and unsheltered
chronically homeless, respectively) reported PTSD.
In general, higher rates of health conditions were reported for those who were chronically homeless compared to
their non-chronically homeless counterparts. For example, 51% of chronically homeless individuals reported
having a physical disability compared to 31% of non-chronically homeless individuals.
Figure 50. Health Conditions Among Chronically Homeless Persons
Unsheltered Chronic n=214, Sheltered Chronic n=150 Source: 2022 Alameda County Housing Survey Note: Multiple response question, percentages will not add up to 100.
65%
47%46%51%43%
20%
2%
71%
36%
57%59%59%
25%
3%
Psychiatric or Emotional Conditions
Drug or Alcohol Use Physical Disability PTSD ChronicHealthProblems
Traumatic Brain Injury AIDS/HIV Related
Unsheltered Chronically Homeless Sheltered Chronically Homeless
54 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
VETERANS
Many U.S. veterans experience conditions that place them at increased risk for homelessness. Veterans
experience higher rates of PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, sexual assault, and substance abuse. Veterans
experiencing homelessness are more likely to live on the street than in shelters, and often remain unsheltered for
extended periods of time.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides a broad range of benefits and services to veterans of the
U.S. Armed Forces. These benefits can involve different forms of financial assistance, including monthly cash
payments to disabled veterans, health care, education, and housing benefits. In addition to these supports, the VA
and HUD partner to provide additional housing and support services to veterans currently experiencing
homelessness or at risk of experiencing homelessness.
HOMELESS VETERANS
In total, 550 veterans were experiencing homelessness in 2022. Of those, 549 were single individuals and the
remaining one was in a family with at least one child. Seventy-eight percent (78%) of veterans were unsheltered in
2022. In 2022, veterans represented 6% of the adult population, slightly below 2019 (9%).
Figure 51. Total Number of Homeless Veterans Enumerated During the Point-in-Time Count
2022 n=550
78%22%2022
Unsheltered Sheltered
55 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
Primary Cause of Homelessness Among Homeless Veterans
Unsheltered veterans most frequently cited job loss as the primary cause of their homelessness (36%), while
sheltered veterans most frequently cited eviction/foreclosure/rent increase or an inability to stay with family or
friends at 26% each. Unsheltered veterans attributed their homelessness to job loss at four and a half times the
rate as sheltered veterans (36% and 8% respectively). Twenty-nine percent (29%) of unsheltered veterans and
26% of sheltered veterans reported their homelessness was the result of eviction or foreclosure or rent increase.
When asked if COVID-19 or a California Wildfire impacted their primary cause of homelessness, 20% of
unsheltered veterans cited COVID-19 compared to 11% of sheltered veterans.
Figure 52. Primary Cause of Homelessness Among Veterans (Top Five Responses)
Unsheltered Veterans Survey Population n=55 respondents, Sheltered Veterans Survey Population n=38 respondents Source: 2022 Alameda County Housing Survey Note: Multiple response question, percentages will not add up to 100.
Health Conditions Among Homeless Veterans
A higher percentage of sheltered veteran respondents reported having one or more health conditions, 50%
compared to 34% of unsheltered veterans. Sheltered veterans reported higher rates of psychiatric or emotional
conditions compared to unsheltered veterans (53% and 45% respectively).
Figure 53. Health Conditions Among Veterans
Unsheltered Veterans n=62; Sheltered Veterans n=38 Source: 2022 Alameda County Housing Survey Note: Multiple response question, percentages will not add up to 100.
11%
22%
27%
36%
29%
18%
18%
26%
8%
26%
Other money issues including medical bills, etc.
Divorce/Seperation/Break-up
Family or friends couldn't let me stay or argument with family/friend/roommate
Job Loss
Eviction/Foreclosure/Rent Increase
Sheltered Veterans Unsheltered Veterans
45%40%42%29%27%32%
3%
53%47%53%47%29%24%0%
Psyciatric or Emotional Conditions
Physical Disability PTSD Chronic Health Problems Drug or Alcohol Use Traumatic Brian Injury AIDS/HIV Related
Unsheltered Veterans Sheltered Veterans
56 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
CONCLUSION
HOMELESS COUNT AND SURVEY
The EveryOne Counts! 2022 Homeless Census and Survey was performed using HUD-recommended practices for
counting and surveying the homeless population. The 2022 Point-in-Time Count identified 9,747 persons
experiencing homelessness in Alameda County. This represents an increase of 22% from the Count conducted in
2019.
The EveryOne Counts! 2022 Homeless Census and Survey revealed a diverse population with many different
trends and needs. There are many valuable insights into the Alameda County homeless population from the data
collected in this report, including:
● A total of 9,747 individuals experiencing homelessness were enumerated on February 23, 2022, an
increase of 1,725 individuals (+22%) from 2019’s Count. In 2022, 73% of individuals experiencing
homelessness in Alameda County were unsheltered.
● While the number of individuals served by countywide shelters saw a large increase (+53%) between 2019
and 2022, there was also an increase of 823 reported unsheltered individuals (+13%).
● The majority of individuals were living in Alameda County when they lost their housing. Eighty-two
percent (82%) of respondents reported they were living in Alameda County at the time they most recently
became homeless. Fourteen percent (14%) reported they were living in another county in California, and
4% reported they were living out of state at the time they lost their housing.
● Racial and sexual minorities were overrepresented in the population experiencing homelessness.
Black/African American individuals were overrepresented in the population experiencing homelessness.
An estimated 47% of persons experiencing homelessness identified as Black/African American, compared
to 10% of the county’s overall population. Nine percent (9%) of survey respondents identified as LGBTQ in
2022.
● Individuals face behavioral health and physical health challenges that inhibit their ability to obtain work or
housing as well as non-health barriers that could be addressed with services. The most frequently
reported health condition was psychiatric or emotional conditions (49%), followed by PTSD (42%), and
chronic health problems (34%). Thirty-three percent (33%) reported a physical disability, 30% reported
drug or alcohol abuse, 14% reported a traumatic brain injury, and 2% reported having AIDS or an HIV
related condition. Approximately 40% of individuals surveyed reported one or more of these conditions
prevented them from obtaining work or housing.
● The majority of individuals reported no interactions with the criminal justice systems in the past year
including probation, parole, court appearances, arrests, tickets, etc. Thirty percent (30%) of survey
respondents reported interactions with the criminal justice system in the past year. Seven percent (7%) of
survey respondents attributed their homelessness to incarceration.
● Individuals want affordable housing and need additional resources to achieve housing stability. Forty-nine
percent (49%) reported rent assistance would have helped prevent their current experience of
homelessness.
57 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
In summary, there are still many challenges to overcome in achieving the goal of eliminating homelessness in
Alameda County and in helping homeless individuals and families access necessary services and support. The
results of the EveryOne Counts! 2022 Homeless Census and Survey reflect a significant increase in homelessness
in the County despite the considerable additional funding, programming and housing that was provided
throughout the County. Macroeconomic and social issues such as poverty, income inequality, housing
affordability, racial equity and the overwhelming impact of COVID-19 have all contributed to a period of
tremendous challenge to Alameda County residents resulting in increasing hardship that will be overcome by the
efforts of a united community committed to ending homelessness.
CLOSING
The EveryOne Counts! 2022 Homeless Census and Survey provides valid and useful data that help create a more
comprehensive profile of those experiencing homelessness. The dissemination and evaluation of this effort will
help the CoC and all Alameda County stakeholders continue to produce and refine constructive and innovative
solutions to end homelessness and make it a rare, brief, and one-time occurrence. Through innovative and
effective housing programs and services, Alameda County remains committed to moving homeless persons into
permanent housing.
Data presented in the EveryOne Counts! 2022 Homeless Census and Survey report fulfills federal reporting
requirements for the Continuum of Care, and will continue to inform additional outreach, service planning, and
policy decision-making by local planning bodies as Alameda County continues to address homelessness.
58 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
APPENDIX A: METHODOLOGY
OVERVIEW
The Alameda County Point-in-Time Homeless Census and Survey was designed and implemented through a
collaborative CoC-wide effort that included County, cities, people with lived experience of homelessness including
young adults, and community-based organizations. COVID-19 related safety and public health issues were a key
issue and concern in planning from both a process and staffing perspective as we prioritized caution with the need
to be accurate and consistent with the outreach success of previous PIT efforts.
The 2022 Alameda County Homeless Census and Survey was performed using HUD-recommended practices and
using HUD’s PIT Count definition of homelessness. The goal was to produce a point-in-time estimate of individuals
and families experiencing homelessness in Alameda County, a region which covers approximately 738 square
miles and is comprised of 360 census tracts. Several primary data collection components were integrated to
produce the total estimated number of persons experiencing homelessness on a given night. A detailed
description of these components follows.
COMPONENTS OF THE HOMELESS CENSUS & SURVEY
The methodology used in the 2022 Point-in-Time Census and Survey had five components:
1) General Street Count: A morning Count of unsheltered homeless individuals and families on February 23,
2022. This occurred from approximately 5:00 AM to 10:00 AM, and included those sleeping outdoors on
the street; at transit stations; in parks, tents, and other makeshift shelters; and in vehicles and abandoned
or public properties, like parking garages and related locations. The general street Count was designed to
take place before shelter occupants were released. In areas with shelters, the immediate area
surrounding the shelter was prioritized to eliminate potential double counting of individuals.
2) General Shelter Count: A nighttime Count of homeless individuals and families staying at publicly and
privately operated shelters on February 22, 2022. This included those who occupied emergency shelters,
transitional housing, and safe havens.
3) Targeted Street Count of Unaccompanied Youth and Young Adults: An afternoon Count of unsheltered
unaccompanied youth under 18 and young adults 18-24 years old on February 23, 2022. This occurred
from approximately 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM and was led by special youth teams who canvassed specific areas
where unaccompanied children and youth were known to congregate. Upon completion, data from this
targeted Count was carefully reviewed against the results from the general street Count to ensure that
any possible duplicate Counts were removed. Some factors used to deduplicate data include use of partial
license plate numbers, geolocation, and follow-up with enumerators.
4) Homeless Survey: An in-person interview with 1,517 unique sheltered and unsheltered homeless
individuals conducted by peer surveyors between February 24 and April 8, 2022, in Alameda County. Data
from the survey were used to refine the Point-in-Time Census estimates, and then used to gain a more
comprehensive understanding of the demographics and experiences of homeless individuals.
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THE PLANNING PROCESS
To ensure the success and integrity of the Count, many county and community agencies collaborated on
community outreach, volunteer recruitment, logistical plans, methodological decisions, the survey topics, and
interagency coordination efforts. ASR provided technical assistance for these aspects of the planning process.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Local homeless and housing service providers, people who are currently or have formerly experienced
homelessness, and advocates were valued partners in the planning and implementation of this Count. Due to
COVID-19 and the public health risks, the PIT Count Planning Committee made the decision, supported by the
County Public Health office, to limit participation levels in the Count by the public and by persons currently
experiencing homelessness out of COVID-19 transmission concerns. As a result of significant expansion of
outreach services by jurisdictional and local community organizations, the organizing team felt that appropriate,
safe and thorough outreach could be achieved by utilizing outreach staff as the primary enumerators in the field.
Some lived experience persons were integrated into the effort by outreach staff as in previous PIT Count efforts,
but this was selective and subject to compliance with public health requirements and recruitment largely by
outreach programs.
Overall, hundreds of individuals and dozens of county, city, and community-based organizations participated in
planning and pre-Count coordination, generously offering their time and energy to ensuring an accurate Count.
Ultimately, 195 PIT Count teams consisting of over 480 participants, including 71 paid lived-experience Guides,
conducted the visual PIT Count. Additionally, for the unsheltered survey component, fourteen (14) survey
coordinators from ten (10) agencies facilitated the unsheltered survey coordination for over 70 lived-experience
surveyors. Fifty-six (56) survey coordinators supported the sheltered survey component.
PERSONS WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE IN THE PLANNING PROCESS
Targeted outreach and engagement with people with lived experience occurred in the planning process so that
young adults with lived experience of homelessness informed all aspects of the youth Count and a focus group of
people experiencing homelessness provided feedback and language suggestions on the survey to ensure it used
understandable, strength-based, and equity-focused language. These were in addition to other involvement by
people with lived experience in the general street Count and survey administration for unsheltered persons.
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STREET COUNT METHODOLOGY
DEFINITION
For the purposes of this study, the HUD definition of unsheltered homeless persons was used:
An individual or family with a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed
for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings, including a car, park,
abandoned building, bus or train stations, airport, or camping ground.
METHODOLOGICAL IMPROVEMENTS
The 2022 street Count methodology followed an established, HUD-approved approach commonly called a blitz
method followed by a sample survey. Very significantly, a change was made in the use of GPS enabled
smartphones in data collection using an ESRI Survey 123 application developed and customized by ASR to conform
to HUD data collection requirements. The application was also a tool to document compliance with the COVID-19
safety precautions established by the Planning Committee. Also, improvements were made in pre-Count planning
efforts to deploy Count teams virtually, wherever possible, thereby avoiding the need for centralized deployment
centers where COVID-19 transmission risks would be greater.
Outreach organizations, program staff, county, and city staff along with selected community members were able
to select areas for enumeration from an interactive GIS planning map tool that enabled planning for complete
coverage of the County with prioritization of high-density homeless routes to outreach staff and personnel with
direct service experience. Importantly, regional PIT Count coordinators were established (designated city staff
who volunteered for this role) to help with local planning efforts to reflect neighborhood knowledge and
resources. These regional coordinators were very successful in route management and team optimization.
VOLUNTEER AND GUIDE RECRUITMENT
As noted above, there was a planned effort to reduce the number of persons directly involved in field work and
outreach in the 2022 PIT Count due to COVID-19 safety concerns. In 2022, over 480 outreach workers, community
volunteers and homeless Guides participated in the general street Count, slightly less than in 2019. Teams were
self-selected and created by people who work together or were in the same social pods to minimize COVID-19 risk
and transmission.
Outreach and program staff did limited recruitment of persons with lived experience to act as Guides, and in some
cases embedded, lived experience reporters, in order to conduct the Count in 2022. Vaccination requirements
and COVID transmission concerns impacted our preferred option of greater lived experience participation.
Homeless Guides who could be integrated into Count teams were paid $20 for the online training as well as $20
per hour worked on the day of the Count.
In order to participate in the Count, all volunteers and Guides were requested to view a 20-minute training video
before the Count. Additionally, targeted virtual trainings were held for multiple groups throughout the county.
Training covered all aspects of the Count including:
● definition of homelessness,
● how to identify homeless individuals,
● how to safely and respectfully conduct the Count, how to use the smart phone app and also access the
smartphone app training video,
61 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
● how to use the route maps to ensure the entirety of the assigned area was covered,
● tips to identify vehicles and to Count only actively occupied vehicles, and
● other tips to help ensure an accurate and safe Count.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Safety for both enumerators and those being surveyed was a top priority for the Count. Every effort was made to
minimize potentially hazardous situations. Law enforcement agencies were notified of pending street Count
activity in their jurisdictions. In census tracts with a high concentration of homeless encampments, specialized
teams with knowledge of those encampments were identified and assigned to those areas along with the
utilization of lived-experience embedded reporters, where possible. Enumeration teams were advised to take
every safety precaution possible, including bringing flashlights and maintaining a respectful distance from those
they were counting.
In 2022, COVID-19 safety precautions were especially important. Eligibility to participate in the Count was limited
to persons who were vaccinated. Proof of vaccination, however, was not a requirement. The Planning Committee
deferred to local county, city, and organizational COVID-19 compliance and engagement.
LOGISTICS OF ENUMERATION
On the morning of the street Count, teams of two or more persons deployed to enumerate designated census
tracts of the county for the street Count. Each team was composed of any combination of outreach workers, lived
experience Guides, program staff, service-experienced community volunteers and interested community
volunteers with no service experience. Each team had a lead and prior to the Count were provided with their
assigned census tract maps, smart phone access information and training, field observation tips and guidelines,
including vehicle identification criteria. Teams were all assigned a unique team number and were instructed to
text a central PIT Count dispatch center to confirm they were enroute and on task for enumeration of their route
assignment.
All accessible streets, roads, parks, and highways in the enumerated tracts were traversed by foot or car. The
Alameda County Survey 123 smartphone app was used to record the number of homeless persons observed in
addition to basic demographic and location information. Dispatch center volunteers also verified that at least one
person on each team had a cell phone available for their use during the Count and recorded the number on the
volunteer deployment assignment sheet. Teams were asked to cover the entirety of their assigned census tracts.
UNSHELTERED FAMILY HOMELESSNESS
With HUD permission this year, providers from McKinney-Vento programs in local school districts and family
Coordinated Entry resource centers whose caseload includes families who experience unsheltered homelessness
contacted those families within 7 days following the Count, asked where the family stayed the night of the Count,
and gathered additional household information. All households identified through this effort that met the HUD
definition of homelessness used for the PIT Count and were residing in Alameda County the night of February 22,
2022 were added to the general Count.
The Alameda County Office of Education assisted in identifying specific school districts that met two criteria:
• Unsheltered families in their district
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• Sufficient staffing to complete the PIT Count fieldwork
The McKinney-Vento liaisons from these school districts participated and provided data about unsheltered
families in their district:
1. Alameda
2. Berkeley
3. Fremont
4. New Haven
5. Oakland
Hayward and San Leandro school districts were contacted but did not participate.
Additionally, six Coordinated Entry Housing Resource Centers covering the entire County participated and
provided data about unsheltered families on their caseloads and in the Crisis Queue.
SAFE PARKING Census and household data were provided by safe parking programs throughout the County to be deduplicated
from and compiled with the general street Count data.
The same procedures were followed in 2019 and 2022 which included:
• excluding the safe parking areas from the visual count of the unsheltered;
• gathering client-level or program-level data from safe parking programs about its participants on the night
of the count;
• adding the safe parking data to the unsheltered enumeration in the respective jurisdictions.
Data provided by safe parking programs utilized self-report data from its participants (e.g. age).
On November 15, 2021, the HUD issued a HIC/PIT Count Data Collection Notice, public guidance about how RVs
are to be counted and the criteria to inform whether RV residents should be counted as housed, sheltered or
unsheltered. The HUD guidance also stated that all residents of cars (and vans) should be counted as unsheltered.
Using this federal criteria, four RV Safe Parking programs in Oakland were counted as sheltering programs in 2022,
and those specific RV residents included in the sheltered count (6.28% of the sheltered count, N=164 people). All
other safe parking programs for RVs and other vehicles were counted as unsheltered compliant with HUD
regulations (1.46% of unsheltered count, N=104 people).
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UNACCOMPANIED YOUTH STREET COUNT METHODOLOGY
The goal of the 2022 dedicated Youth Count was to improve representation of unaccompanied homeless children
and youth under the age of 25 in the PIT Count. Many youth and young adults experiencing homelessness do not
use homeless services, are unrecognizable to adult street Count volunteers, and may be in unsheltered locations
that are difficult to find. Therefore, traditional street Count efforts are not as effective in reaching youth.
RESEARCH DESIGN
As in all years, planning for the 2022 supplemental Youth Count included homeless youth service providers and
youth with lived experience of homelessness. Local service providers identified locations where homeless youth
were known to congregate and recruited youth and young adults currently experiencing homelessness with
knowledge of where to locate homeless youth to serve as Guides for the Count. Late afternoon and early evening
enumeration were the ideal times recommended by advocates to conduct the youth Count. A screening tool was
used to ensure youth that were counted met both the age and the homelessness criteria.
2022 continued the enhancement to the Youth Count effort made in 2019. The youth serving agency Covenant
House contacted youth via telephone from the drop-in center list and other sources they had of youth with
unstable housing. These youth were contacted and their sleeping status on the night of the Count was evaluated
for PIT Count reporting eligibility. This was piloted in 2022 and while there was limited success due to agency
resources, it holds promise as a future outreach opportunity for the Youth Count component.
Youth workers were paid $20 per hour for their time, including time spent in training prior to the Count. Youth
and youth service provider staff members were trained on where and how to identify homeless youth as well as
how to record the data.
YOUTH DATA COLLECTION
Youth worked in teams of two to four, with teams coordinated by youth street outreach workers. The Youth
Count was conducted from approximately 3pm to 7pm in several areas across Alameda County using the same
smartphone app used in the general Count.
HUD and the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness recognize that youth do not commonly
commingle with homeless adults and are not easily identified by non-youth. For this reason, these agencies accept
and recommend that communities count youth at times when they can be seen rather than during traditional
enumeration times.
STREET COUNT DE-DUPLICATION
Data from the supplemental Youth Count and general street Count were compared and de-duplicated by
assessing location, gender, and age.
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SHELTER COUNT METHODOLOGY
GOAL
The goal of the sheltered Count is to gain an accurate Count of persons temporarily housed in shelters,
transitional housing, and safe haven programs across the county. These data are vital to gaining an accurate,
overall Count of the homeless population and understanding where homeless persons receive shelter.
DEFINITION
For the purposes of this study, the HUD definition of sheltered homelessness for PIT Counts was used. This
definition includes individuals and families living in a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designated
to provide temporary living arrangements such as emergency or transitional shelters or Safe Haven facilities.
RESEARCH DESIGN
All shelter data were gathered either directly from the shelter including domestic violence programs or from the
county’s Homeless Management Information System, except one shelter program that was unresponsive after
numerous attempts and whose data were imputed using average occupancy and demographic data. Only
programs listed on the Housing Inventory Chart (HIC) that were operational on the night of the Count were
included.
DATA COLLECTION
To collect data on individuals staying in shelters, ASR worked with the County HMIS staff and Aspire Consulting.
The County collected data on all emergency shelters, transitional housing programs, and Safe Havens operating in
the county. Data was collected on household status, age, gender, race and ethnicity, veteran status, chronic
status, and if individuals had certain health conditions following the HUD data requirements. Data were cleaned
by HMIS staff and validated by the operator of the program.
CHALLENGES
There are many challenges in any homeless enumeration, especially when implemented in a community as large
and diverse as Alameda County. Point-in-Time Counts are “snapshots” that quantify the size of the homeless
population at a given point during the year. Hence, the Count may not be representative of fluctuations and
compositional changes in the homeless population seasonally or over time.
The COVID-19 pandemic was an especially challenging issue faced by the PIT Count planning committee for a
number of reasons, not the least of which was the Omicron variant surge that peaked in the last two weeks of
January 2022. The inability to better integrate persons with lived experience as route Guides was a challenge
though mitigated by an increased use of outreach staff.
The methods employed in a non-intrusive visual homeless enumeration, while academically sound, have inherent
biases and shortcomings. Many factors may contribute to potential undercounts. For example: it is difficult to
identify homeless persons who may be sleeping in vans, cars, recreational vehicles, abandoned buildings, or
structures unfit for human habitation or to determine if the inhabitants are a family with minor children.
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Homeless families with children and unaccompanied homeless children and youth often seek opportunities to
stay on private property, rather than sleep on the streets, in vehicles, or in makeshift shelters. Some of that was
mitigated through the efforts to engage school districts to query their McKinney-Vento families and the Family
Resource Centers to outreach to families living in unfit and unstable housing situations in 2022.
SURVEY METHODOLOGY
PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION
The data collected through the survey are used to develop subpopulation data needed for HUD and are important
for future program development and planning. The survey elicited information such as gender, family status,
military service, duration and recurrence of homelessness, nighttime accommodations, causes of homelessness,
and access to services through open-ended, closed-ended, and multiple response questions. The survey data bring
greater perspective to current issues of homelessness and to the provision and delivery of services.
The unsheltered surveys were conducted primarily by those with current or recent lived experience with
homelessness, while shelter surveys were conducted by a limited number of staff from each program that
surveyed a sample of its residents. Training sessions were facilitated by ASR and community partners. Potential
interviewers were led through a comprehensive orientation that included project background information as well
as detailed instruction on respondent eligibility, interviewing protocol, and confidentiality. Unsheltered survey
workers were compensated at a rate of $10 per completed survey.
It was determined that survey data would be more easily obtained if an incentive gift was offered to respondents
in appreciation for their time and participation. McDonalds gift cards, and in some cases socks, were provided as
an incentive for participating in the 2022 homeless survey. The gift cards and socks were easy to distribute, had
broad appeal, and could be provided within the project budget. The incentives proved to be widely accepted
among survey respondents.
Shelter surveys were primarily administered under the direction of EveryOne Home. ASR developed a shelter
survey quota from the current Count HMIS Housing Inventory chart and an electronic version of the survey was
developed by ASR and administered by local shelter staff under the direction of EveryOne Home. McDonald’s gift
cards were used as a response incentive for all shelter surveys.
SURVEY SAMPLING
Based on a PIT Count estimate of 9,747 homeless persons, with a randomized survey sampling process, the 1,517
valid surveys represented a confidence interval of +/-2.5% with a 95% confidence level when generalizing the
results of the survey to the estimated population of individuals experiencing homelessness in Alameda County.
The 2022 survey was administered in shelters, transitional housing facilities, and on the street. In order to ensure
the representation of transitional housing residents, which can be underrepresented in a street-based survey,
survey quotas were created to reach individuals and heads of family households living in these programs.
Strategic attempts were also made to reach individuals in various geographic locations and of various subset
groups such as homeless children and youth, minority ethnic groups, military veterans, domestic violence
survivors, and families. One way to increase the participation of these groups was to recruit peer survey workers.
In order to increase randomization of sample respondents, survey workers were trained to employ an “every third
encounter” survey approach. If the person declined to take the survey, the survey worker could approach the next
66 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
eligible person they encountered. After completing a survey, the randomized approach was resumed. In more
remote cases where respondents were more sparse this survey interval was modified.
DATA COLLECTION
Care was taken by interviewers to ensure that respondents felt comfortable regardless of the street or shelter
location where the survey occurred. During the interviews, respondents were encouraged to be candid in their
responses and were informed that these responses would be framed as general findings, would be kept
confidential, and would not be traceable to any single individual. Respondents were also informed they could skip
questions they did not wish to answer.
DATA ANALYSIS
The survey requested respondents’ initials and date of birth so that duplication could be avoided without
compromising the respondents’ anonymity. Upon completion of the survey effort, an extensive verification
process was conducted to eliminate duplicates. This process examined respondents’ date of birth, initials, gender,
ethnicity, length of homelessness, and consistencies in patterns of responses to other survey questions.
SURVEY CHALLENGES AND LIMITATIONS
The 2022 Homeless Survey did not establish quotas beyond geographic and shelter criteria and therefore some
general experiences may not be represented as effectively as we would hope. For example, finding families
experiencing homelessness presents a challenge and can lead to underrepresentation in the survey results. The
same applies to unaccompanied children and youth, though care is taken to ensure that youth surveyors are
involved, to increase the response rate of youth survey respondents.
There may be some variance in the data that individuals experiencing homelessness self-reported, however, using
a peer-centric interviewing methodology is believed to allow the respondents to be more candid with their
answers and may help reduce the uneasiness of revealing personal information. Service providers and county staff
also reviewed the completed surveys to ensure quality responses. Surveys that were considered incomplete or
containing false responses were not accepted. The process included reviewing individual surveys submitted by
surveyors and assessing patterns of contradictory responses for inconsistencies.
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APPENDIX B: DEFINITIONS AND
ABBREVIATIONS
Chronic homelessness – Defined by HUD as an unaccompanied individual or head of a family household with a
disabling condition who has either continuously experienced homelessness for a year or more, or has experienced
at least four episodes of homelessness totaling 12 months, in the past three years.
Disabling condition – Defined by HUD as a physical, mental, or emotional impairment, including an impairment
caused by alcohol or drug abuse, PTSD, or brain injury that is expected to be long-term and impacts the
individual’s ability to live independently; a developmental disability; or HIV/AIDS.
Emergency shelter – The provision of a safe alternative to the streets, either in a shelter facility or through the
use of stabilization rooms. Emergency shelter is short-term, usually for 180 days or fewer. Domestic violence
shelters are typically considered a type of emergency shelter, as they provide safe, immediate housing for
survivors and their children.
Ethnicity categories - See below for “Race and ethnicity categories”.
Family – A household with at least one adult and one child under the age of 18.
Gender Non-conforming - Gender that is not singularly “Female” or “Male” (e.g., non-binary, genderfluid,
agender, culturally specific gender).
Homeless – Under the Category 1 definition of homelessness in the HEARTH Act, includes individuals and families
living in a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements,
or with a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a
regular sleeping accommodation for human beings, including a car, park, abandoned building, bus or train station,
airport, or camping ground.
HUD – Abbreviation for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Precariously housed – A person who is staying with the household because they have no other regular or
adequate place to stay due to a lack of money or other means of support.
Race and ethnicity categories - Race categories were shortened in this report due to space limitations but are
inclusive of the more specific definitions utilized by HUD.
Report: HUD:
Non-Hispanic/Non-Latinx Non-Hispanic/Latin(a)(o)(x)
Hispanic/Latinx Hispanic/Latin(a)(o)(x)
Black or African American Black, African American, or African
Asian Asian or Asian American
American Indian or Alaska Native American Indian, Alaska Native, or Indigenous
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
68 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
Sheltered homeless individuals – Individuals who are living in emergency shelters or transitional housing
programs.
Single individual – Refers to an unaccompanied youth or adult. The individual may also be an unaccompanied
child under the age of 18 living without a parent or guardian over the age of 18, or an adult who is part of a
collection of adults living together as a household without any minor children living with them.
Transition-age youth – Young people between the ages of 18 and 24 years old who are not accompanied by a
parent or guardian and are not a parent presenting with or sleeping in the same place as their own child(ren).
Transitional housing – Housing in which homeless individuals may live up to 24 months and receive supportive
services that enable them to live more independently. Supportive services – which help promote residential
stability, increased skill level or income, and greater self-determination –may be provided by the organization
managing the housing, or coordinated by that organization and provided by other public or private agencies.
Transitional housing can be provided in one structure or several structures at one site, or in multiple structures at
scattered sites.
Unaccompanied children – Children under the age of 18 who are not accompanied by a parent or guardian and
are not a parent presenting with or sleeping in the same place as their own child(ren).
Unsheltered homeless individuals – Individuals who are living on the streets, in abandoned buildings, storage
structures, vehicles, encampments, or any other place unfit for human habitation.
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APPENDIX C: POINT-IN-TIME COUNT
RESULTS
The following tables include the EveryOne Counts! 2022 Homeless Census and Survey data submitted to HUD for
individuals experiencing homelessness in Alameda County. Data are reported by three household types
(households with at least one adult and one child, households with no children, and households with only
children) and by shelter status (emergency shelter, transitional housing, and unsheltered). Specific data on
veteran households, youth and young adult households, and various subpopulations are also reported and
included in the tables found in this section.
ALL HOUSEHOLDS
HOUSEHOLDS WITH AT LEAST ONE ADULT AND ONE CHILD
Sheltered Unsheltered Total
Total number of households 182 104 286
Total number of persons 522 322 844
Number of children (under 18) 298 188 486
Number of young adults (18-24) 47 22 69
Number of adults (over 24) 177 112 289
Gender (adults and children)
Female 313 203 516
Male 207 112 319
Transgender 1 0 1
Gender Non-Conforming 1 0 1
Questioning 0 7 7
Ethnicity (adults and children)
Non-Hispanic/Non-Latinx 363 191 554
Hispanic/Latinx 159 131 290
Race (adults and children)
White 125 102 227
Black or African-American 251 145 396
Asian 20 8 28
American Indian or Alaska Native 37 25 62
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 9 25 34
Multiple Races 80 17 97
Chronically Homeless
Total number of households 36 10 46
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Total number of persons 95 32 127
HOUSEHOLDS WITHOUT CHILDREN
Sheltered Unsheltered Total
Total number of households 2026 5899 7925
Total number of persons 2081 6725 8806
Number of youth adults (age 18-24) 161 574 735
Number of adults (over age 24) 1920 6151 8071
Gender
Female 677 2347 3024
Male 1381 4277 5658
Transgender 13 34 47
Gender Non-Conforming 10 40 50
Questioning 0 27 27
Ethnicity
Non-Hispanic/Non-Latinx 1754 4971 6725
Hispanic/Latinx 327 1754 2081
Race
White 663 2859 3522
Black or African-American 1126 2603 3729
Asian 63 356 419
American Indian or Alaska Native 66 289 355
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 31 194 225
Multiple Races 132 424 556
Chronically Homeless
Total number of persons 896 1695 2591
HOUSEHOLDS WITH ONLY CHILDREN
Sheltered Unsheltered Total
Total number of households 9 88 97
Total number of children (persons under age 18) 9 88 97
Gender
Female 5 31 36
Male 3 56 59
Transgender 1 0 1
Gender Non-Conforming 0 1 1
Questioning 0 0 0
Ethnicity
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Non-Hispanic/Non-Latinx 7 66 73
Hispanic/Latinx 2 22 24
Race
White 3 13 16
Black or African-American 5 53 58
Asian 0 3 3
American Indian or Alaska Native 1 0 1
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 0 3 3
Multiple Races 0 16 16
Chronically Homeless
Total number of persons 0 10 10
YOUTH HOUSEHOLDS
UNACCOMPANIED YOUTH HOUSEHOLDS
Sheltered Unsheltered Total
Total number of unaccompanied youth households 168 662 830
Total number of unaccompanied youth 170 662 832
Number of unaccompanied children (under 18) 9 88 97
Number of unaccompanied (18-24) 161 574 735
Gender (unaccompanied youth)
Female 78 253 331
Male 81 371 452
Transgender 4 19 23
Gender Non-Conforming 7 19 26
Questioning 0 0 0
Ethnicity (unaccompanied youth)
Non-Hispanic/Non-Latinx 122 496 618
Hispanic/Latinx 48 166 214
Race (unaccompanied youth)
White 41 98 139
Black or African-American 99 391 490
Asian 2 25 27
American Indian or Alaska Native 7 0 7
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 2 25 27
Multiple Races 19 123 142
Chronically Homeless
Total number of persons 7 71 78
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PARENTING YOUTH HOUSEHOLDS
Sheltered Unsheltered Total
Total number of parenting youth households 34 11 45
Total number of persons in parenting youth households 79 35 114
Total parenting youth (youth parents only) 36 12 48
Total children in parenting youth households 43 23 66
Number of parenting youth under 18 0 0 0
Number of children with parenting youth under 18 0 0 0
Number of parenting youth ages 18-24 36 12 48
Number of children with parenting youth age 18-24 42 23 66
Gender (youth parents only)
Female 32 8 40
Male 4 4 8
Transgender 0 0 0
Gender Non-Conforming 0 0 0
Questioning 0 0 0
Ethnicity (youth parents only)
Non-Hispanic/Non-Latinx 29 9 38
Hispanic/Latinx 7 3 10
Race (youth parents only)
White 8 2 10
Black or African-American 24 8 32
Asian 2 0 2
American Indian or Alaska Native 1 0 1
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 0 0 0
Multiple Races 1 2 3
Chronically Homeless
Total number of households 1 1 2
Total number of persons 3 4 7
VETERAN HOUSEHOLDS
VETERAN HOUSEHOLDS WITH AT LEAST ONE ADULT AND ONE CHILD
Sheltered Unsheltered Total
Total number of households 1 0 1
Total number of persons 4 0 4
Total number of veterans 1 0 1
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Gender (veterans only)
Female 1 0 1
Male 0 0 0
Transgender 0 0 0
Gender Non-Conforming 0 0 0
Questioning 0 0 0
Ethnicity (veterans only)
Non-Hispanic/Non-Latinx 0 0 0
Hispanic/Latinx 1 0 1
Race (veterans only)
White 0 0 0
Black or African-American 1 0 1
Asian 0 0 0
American Indian or Alaska Native 0 0 0
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 0 0 0
Multiple Races 0 0 0
Chronically Homeless
Total number of households 0 0 0
Total number of persons 0 0 0
VETERAN HOUSEHOLDS WITHOUT CHILDREN
Sheltered Unsheltered Total
Total number of households 119 430 549
Total number of persons 121 460 581
Total number of veterans 119 430 549
Gender (veterans only)
Female 6 150 156
Male 112 273 385
Transgender 0 2 2
Gender Non-Conforming 1 3 4
Questioning 0 2 2
Ethnicity (veterans only)
Non-Hispanic/Non-Latinx 107 357 464
Hispanic/Latinx 12 73 85
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Race (veterans only)
White 49 206 255
Black or African-American 59 129 188
Asian 3 0 3
American Indian or Alaska Native 0 26 26
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 2 26 28
Multiple Races 6 43 49
Chronically Homeless
Total number of persons 55 103 158
ADDITIONAL HOMELESS POPULATIONS
Sheltered Unsheltered Total
Adults with Serious Mental Illness 681 1667 2348
Adults with Substance Use Disorder 352 899 1251
Adults with HIV/AIDS 36 62 98
Adult Survivors of Domestic Violence (optional) 156 398 554
75 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
APPENDIX D: ADULT SURVEY & YOUTH
SCREENING TOOL
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78 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
APPENDIX E: SURVEY RESULTS
The following tables include the aggregate results of each question asked of individuals experiencing homelessness in
Alameda County during the EveryOne Counts! 2022 Homeless Survey.
Section A: Demographics Count N %
Age
Less than 18 years 2 <1%
18-24 years 70 5%
25-30 years 127 8%
31-40 years 331 22%
41-50 years 353 23%
51-60 years 373 25%
61 years or more 261 17%
Total 1517 100%
What gender do you identify with?
(shade all that apply)
Male 891 60%
Female 576 39%
Transgender 8 <1%
A gender not singularly female or male (e.g., non-
binary, gender fluid, agender, culturally specific gender) 4 <1%
Questioning 5 <1%
Don’t know 4 <1%
Refuse 11 <1%
Total 1489 100%
What ethnicity do you identify with?
Hispanic/Latin(a)(o)(x) 271 20%
Non- Hispanic/Latin(a)(o)(x) 952 71%
Don’t know 51 4%
Refuse 61 5%
Total 1335 100%
What race or races do you identify
with? (select all that apply)
White 511 36%
Black, African American, or African 669 47%
Asian or Asian American 82 6%
American Indian, Alaska Native, or Indigenous 87 6%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 51 4%
Don’t know 58 4%
Refuse 82 6%
Total 1434 100%
Do you identify as LGBTQ?
Yes 136 9%
No 1381 91%
Total 1517 100%
Do you consider yourself…? Straight 1313 90%
79 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
Gay 19 1%
Lesbian 25 2%
Queer 10 <1%
Bisexual 63 4%
Other 10 <1%
Refuse 33 2%
Total 1467 100.0%
Are you currently pregnant?
Yes 16 3%
No 552 95%
Don't know 6 1%
Refuse 5 1%
Total 579 100%
Have you ever been in foster care?
Yes 207 14%
No 1234 84%
Don’t know 16 1%
Refuse 19 1%
Total 1476 100%
Do you have a pet (currently living
with you)?
Yes 248 17%
No 1207 82%
Refuse 10 1%
Total 1465 100%
Section B: Veteran Status Count N %
Have you served in the U.S. Armed
Forces? (Army, Navy, Air Force,
Marine Corps, or Coast Guard)
Yes 97 7%
No 1354 91%
Don’t know 8 <1%
Refuse 22 2%
Total 1481 100%
Were you ever called into active duty
as a member of the National Guard or as a Reservist?
Yes 29 2%
No 1412 96%
Don’t know 12 1%
Refuse 21 1%
Total 1474 100%
Is anyone else in your household a
Veteran?
Yes 115 8%
No 1322 90%
Don’t know 24 2%
Refuse 16 1%
Total 1477 100%
80 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
Section C: Accommodation Count N %
Where were you staying on the night of January 29, 2019?
Outdoors/streets/parks 199 13%
Backyard storage structure 39 3%
Motel/hotel paid for by a voucher/agency 98 7%
Emergency shelter 432 29%
Transitional housing 168 11%
A place in a house not normally used for sleeping 49 3%
Public facility (train station, transit center, bus depot) 24 2%
Van 60 4%
Automobile/car 105 7%
Camper/RV 57 4%
Abandoned building/squat 12 1%
Encampment 85 6%
Tent 115 8%
Other 74 5%
Total 1517 100%
Is this the first time you have been homeless?
Yes 435 30%
No 985 67%
Refuse 53 4%
Total 1473 100%
I How long have you been homeless this current time?
7 days or less 35 2%
8-30 days 21 1%
1-3 months 59 4%
4-6 months 120 8%
7-11 months 102 7%
1 year 193 13%
More than 1 year 841 57%
Refuse 95 7%
Total 1466 100%
How many different times have you
been homeless in the past 3 years, including this current time?
1 time 634 43%
2 times 262 18%
3 times 206 14%
4 times 64 4%
5 times 43 3%
6 or more times 181 12%
Refuse 96 12%
Total 1486 100%
Yes 791 60%
81 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
Have you been living in an emergency shelter and/or on the streets (including bus stations, underpasses, encampments,
abandoned buildings, etc.) for the
past year (12 months) or more?
No 443 34%
Refuse 85 6%
Total 1319 100%
In addition to right now, how long would you say you have stayed in these kinds of places total in the past 3 years?
Less than a year 246 2%
1-3 years 362 33%
4 years or more 489 45%
Total 1097 100%
How old were you the first time you
experienced homelessness?
0-17 years 187 13%
18-24 years 244 17%
25-39 years 447 30%
40-49 years 252 17%
50-64 years 239 16%
65 or older 28 2%
Refuse 86 6%
Total 1483 100%
82 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
Section D: Household Members Count N %
How many people are in your
household, 'including' yourself?
1 1252 83%
2 161 11%
3 58 4%
4 18 1%
5 10 1%
6 7 1%
7 11 1%
Total 1517 100%
Do you have any children under age 18?
Yes 295 22%
No 1009 75%
Don’t know 12 1%
Refuse 23 2%
Total 1339 100%
Are any of your children under 18
currently living with you?
All 104 8%
Some 22 2%
None 1109 87%
Don’t know 9 1%
Refuse 33 3%
Total 1277 100%
Do you live alone or with other household members?
Alone 1256 83%
With other household members 261 17%
Total 1517 100%
Section E: Residency Count N %
Immediately before you became homeless, what type of place were you living in?
A home owned or rented by you or your partner 468 32%
A home owned or rented by friends/relatives 466 32%
Hospital or treatment facility 63 4%
Subsidized housing or permanent supportive housing 36 3%
Juvenile Justice Facility 5 <1%
Foster care placement 24 2%
Jail or prison 76 5%
Motel/hotel 109 8%
Other 128 9%
Refuse 84 6%
Total 1459 100%
At the time you most recently became homeless, what county were you living in?
Alameda County 1142 79%
San Francisco 30 2%
Marin County 6 <1%
83 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
Santa Clara County 18 1%
San Mateo County 11 1%
Contra Costa County 49 3%
Other County in CA 74 5%
Out of State 58 4%
Refuse 55 4%
Total 1443 100%
How long have you lived in Alameda County?
Less than 6 months 52 4%
6 months to 1 year 52 4%
1-4 years 167 14%
5-9 years 111 9%
10+ years 799 65%
Refuse 43 4%
Total 1224 100%
Which city in Alameda County do
you consider your home?
Alameda City 118 9%
Albany 6 <1%
Berkeley 111 8%
Dublin 8 1%
Emeryville 27 2%
Fremont 73 5%
Hayward 135 4%
Livermore 48 4%
Newark 20 2%
Oakland 558 42%
Piedmont 5 <1%
Pleasanton 10 1%
San Leandro 66 5%
Union City 29 2%
Unincorporated Area 14 1%
Castro Valley 10 1%
Cherryland 7 1%
None/Other 47 4%
Refuse 52 4%
Total 1344 100%
Section F: Prevention Count N %
What is the primary event or events that led to you currently being
homeless?
Eviction/Foreclosure 356 25%
Family or friends couldn’t let me stay or argument
with family/friend/roommate 385 27%
84 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
(shade all that apply) Family/domestic violence 162 12%
Divorce/Separation/Break-up 142 10%
Death of someone close to me 155 11%
Job loss 306 22%
Other money issues including medical bills, etc. 188 13%
Loss of subsidy or other housing financial support 72 5%
COVID-19 related issue 94 7%
Racial bias/racism 26 2%
Aging out of foster care 18 1%
Incarceration 93 7%
Mental health needs 156 11%
Substance use 177 13%
Physical health needs Rent increase 88 6%
Stopped using supports and services 33 2%
Other 85 6%
Don’t know 0 0%
Total 1410 100%
Was the primary cause of homelessness (identified in prior question) related to the COVID-19 pandemic or a California Wildfire?
COVID-19 201 15%
CA Wildfire 19 1%
Neither 1054 78%
Refuse 78 6%
Total 1352 100%
What could have prevented you
from experiencing homelessness? (shade all that apply)
Mental health services 336 27%
Employment assistance 457 37%
Transportation assistance 244 20%
Alcohol/drug counseling 232 19%
Rent assistance 604 49%
Family counseling 285 23%
Food assistance 244 20%
Conflict resolution with roommate 153 12%
Adequate retirement income 55 4%
Help paying health care bills/insurance 145 12%
Legal assistance 181 15%
Help obtaining resources after leaving
hospital/jail/prison/juvenile justice facility 109 9%
Landlord mediation 85 7%
Benefits/income 316 26%
Mortgage assistance 44 4%
Child support 35 3%
Other 0 0%
Don't know 0 0%
85 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
Refuse 0 0%
Total 1236 100%
Section G: Income and Employment Count N %
What is your current employment
status?
Employed full time 117 8%
Employed part time 130 9%
Employed seasonal 13 1%
Not employed – Looking for work 506 36%
Not employed – Unable to work 458 33%
Not employed – Not looking for work 187 13%
Total 1411 100%
If you are not employed, what is
keeping you from employment? (shade all that apply)
Age 129 10%
No phone 170 13%
Disability 428 34%
Health problems 316 25%
Criminal record 120 9%
Mental health issues 258 20%
No transportation 278 22%
Fear of losing personal belongings 130 10%
Childcare needs 54 4%
No access to technology 126 10%
Alcohol/drug use 132 10%
Need education/training /skill development 119 9%
No permanent address 137 11%
No available work/jobs 91 7%
No work permit 12 1%
Need clothing/shower facilities 240 19%
No photo ID/Social Security card 144 11%
Lack of confidence 106 8%
Pet care 40 3%
COVID-19 issues (safety, fear, caregiving, etc.) 58 5%
Risk of losing benefits if working too much 57 5%
Don't want to work 75 6%
Other 94 7%
Total 1277 100%
86 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
Section H: Health and Housing Count N %
Have you received a COVID-19 vaccine?
Yes 925 65%
No 427 30%
Don’t know 18 1%
Refuse 47 3%
Total 1417 100%
If you live with a spouse, a
significant other or parent, do any of the following conditions prevent them from maintaining work or housing?
(shade all that apply)
Not applicable 966 82%
Chronic health problem 26 2%
Physical disability 24 2%
Psychiatric or emotional condition 29 3%
Drug or alcohol abuse 20 2%
Traumatic brain injury 5 <1%
HIV/AIDS 2 <1%
PTSD 13 1%
Other 27 2%
Refuse 136 12%
Total 1180 100%
Are you currently being abused or hurt by someone you know? That includes being kicked, hit, shoved, or
beat up, threatened with a knife or
gun, forced to have sex or being stalked.
Yes 79 6%
No 1226 89%
Refuse 69 5%
Total 1374 100%
Were you ever, either as a child or
adult, abused or hurt by someone you knew? That includes being kicked, hit, shoved, or beat up, or threatened with a knife or gun, or
forced to have sex.
Yes 422 29%
No 941 65%
Refuse 84 6%
Total 1447 100%
Section I: Criminal Justice Count N %
Have you had interactions with the criminal justice system in the past year including probation, parole,
court appearances, arrests, tickets, etc.?
Yes 400 27%
No 948 65%
Don’t know 17 1%
Refuse 94 6%
Total 1459 100%
Section J: Services and Assistance Count N %
Are you currently receiving (or have you received in the last year) any of
Full time earned income/paycheck 101 7%
Part time earned income/paycheck 91 6%
87 | 2022 Alameda County Homeless Count and Survey Report
the following forms of income or benefits? COVID-19 related assistance including increased unemployment 65 5%
General Assistance (GA) 169 12%
CalWORKs/TANF 93 7%
Food Stamps/SNAP/WIC/CalFresh 440 31%
Social Security 108 8%
SSI/SSDI/Disability 241 17%
Medi-Cal/Medicare 302 21%
Child support 6 <1%
Pension/retirement 12 1%
Any VA Disability Compensation 7 1%
Other Veterans benefits (GI, Health) 5 <1%
Not receiving any type of income or benefits currently/in last year 98 7%
Don't know/Not sure if I received any income or
benefits 32 2%
Refuse 119 8%
Total 1428 100%
What barriers, if any, prevent you for using shelter services? (select all that apply)
Bugs 90 7%
Can't stay with my friends 86 6%
Can't stay with my partner/family 103 8%
Concerns for personal safety (violence, sexual assault) 127 10%
Curfews 104 8%
Don't accept my gender or sexual orientation 10 1%
Don’t know what shelter services are available 97 7%
Don't accept my pet 40 3%
Far away 51 4%
Germs 48 4%
Hours of operation 19 1%
Lack of privacy 87 7%
Not enough staff 7 1%
Can’t use alcohol/drugs 24 2%
Nowhere to store my stuff 51 4%
They are full 45 3%
Too crowded 67 5%
Too many rules 70 5%
Racially unwelcome 13 1%
Refuse 443 33%
Total 1342 100%