Annual homeless count conducted

Harden Zagala sat at the threshold of his makeshift house early Wednesday morning disclosing his personal information to absolute strangers.

Information such as where he slept last night, the circumstances that led to his homelessness, and his source, or sources, of income.

The 42-year-old amputee explained that his physical disability frightens employers — they consider him a liability and refuse to hire him, he said.

The questions Zagala answered were part of a survey conducted by a team of volunteers and several Tulare County Social Services employees that hit the streets Wednesday. The annual “Point in Time” survey is intended to count how many people are homeless in Porterville and surrounding areas.

The count, spearheaded by the Kings/Tulare Counties Continuum of Care on Homelessness, was conducted throughout the two counties on Wednesday.

According to the survey’s coordinator, Lupe Diaz, the results provide information that is entered into a database and compared to the services that are being provided to the homeless population, versus the services that are needed.

The information gathered will also be used to develop the city of Porterville’s 10-year plan, titled “Connecting the Dots.” The purpose of the plan is to create a road map for service providers, local government, and all community stakeholders to implement in order to find solutions for preventing and ending homelessness, the organization’s website states.

The three teams of 11 people met at 6:30 a.m. and trekked along the banks of the Tule River, visited a number of local hotels, motels, and inns, and visited a local food bank and soup kitchen in search of homeless individuals.

By Wednesday afternoon, the teams had completed 32 surveys, which Diaz said is good and bad.

“Last year we had roughly 100. We’re glad there aren’t as many homeless out there, but we were told they’d be there,” she said.

According to Diaz, the teams usually trace the homeless encampments with the help of the sheriff’s and police departments, or by asking other homeless persons.

By 8:30 a.m., John Eby, volunteer and pastor for Porterville’s First Congregational Church, said he had spoken to about five homeless people.

He has volunteered since the effort began in 2004 and said the causes for homelessness seem to vary from year to year.

“Usually they’re either drug- or mental illness-related, those are the two primary causes, but this year I think we’re running into more who have become homeless because they lost their jobs,” he said.

Volunteer Denise Marchant said that over the last couple of years it has become harder to find homeless encampments in fields, but have run into more near the river.

When asked why he volunteers year after year, Eby responded, “It just makes us aware of the needs that we don’t run into all the time. It’s a way to stay in touch with people that are facing difficulties that, quite frankly, I’ve never had to face.”

Diaz, who has participated in the effort for five years, said that despite the numbers, she felt the individuals they did speak to seemed more desperate.

“There was man who I asked, ‘If I were to give you any service, what would it be?’ and he immediately said, ‘Food. Right now.’ It seems like people need more even though there were fewer,” she said.

She said survey teams would visit the Lindsay and Strathmore communities today.

“It is extremely important to work toward the goal of ending homelessness, even if its one person at a time,” she said.