New Jersey Conducts Third Annual Statewide Point-In-Time (cont.)
Survey Measures Number of Unsheltered Homeless Families and Individuals

The Point-In-Time survey gathered demographic and other information about those who are homeless to be used to develop effective plans to address and end homelessness.  Each County's Continuum of Care (CoC) coordinated their own Point-In-Time count, however, the method by which data is collected is uniform throughout the state.  The survey was conducted in shelters and on the street.  Each CoC identifies places where they were likely to find unsheltered homeless individuals or families.  Additionally, the survey took place at a central location where services and information were available to homeless households and individuals.

The DCA and the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA), a DCA affiliate, play a supportive role in coordination of the survey, providing technical assistance, volunteers and data from the Agency's Homeless Management Information System.  The Corporation for Supportive Housing also plays a supportive role, providing technical assistance and preparing the final report based on the information collected. The data will be available after April 1, 2009.

The survey is just one of many measures taken to fight the problem of homelessness in New Jersey.  In November 2008, Governor Corzine established the state’s Interagency Council on Homelessness, a group that will plan and coordinate activities and programs to assist homeless people, and make or recommend policy changes to improve such assistance.  Additionally in 2008, Governor Corzine increased funding for the State Rental Assistance Program (SRAP) from $37 million to $52 million.  SRAP provides rental assistance funding to low-income individuals, including the elderly, disabled and homeless families. Currently, the program is assisting approximately 3,700 families throughout the state; which represents a 15% increase over the past year.