There’s Homeless and Then There’s Homelessness.

There’s the hopeful and exciting state of wanting, saving for and shopping for one’s first home. There’s the disappointment and loss that comes from losing one’s home in foreclosure. And then there is homelessness: that desperate state of existence without one of humankind’s most basic needs – a safe and weatherproof shelter.

Last week the Chico Enterprise Record ran a story about the upcoming Chico Homeless Census. We signed up for the training session on January 22 (others are scheduled for the 20th and 23rd). As Realtors our mission is to help people find homes, so we figured that anything that helps out the homeless fits within our mission. The actual count day is January 27. To volunteer in Chico, contact Meagan Meloy at meaganm@butte-housing.com or 514-7168.

Why census the homeless? One major reason is that they are not otherwise counted in our once a decade U.S. Census. Another is that this census provides a rare opportunity to get volunteers mobilized to check on the condition of homeless persons, and determine whether there are some who “might not be receiving services”. As described at change.org “the findings help quantify for policy makers (and, indeed, for the rest of us) our society's failure to ensure that every person has a safe, decent place to call home.”

While censusing the homeless would seem to be universally considered to be a desirable activity…it’s not. Why? “Although there is no direct connection between how many homeless are counted and the doling out of federal dough, that doesn't mean politics is left out of this national census. The image and perception of governors, mayors, and city counselors everywhere is at stake. If the number of homeless people drops, the local government cites this as an achievement. If the number increases, local government officials are criticized and advocates pressure for more support”. And then of course there are those who insist that homelessness is a choice, that the homeless are just ‘lazy’ and that they are nothing more than a drain on our social welfare system.

Other criticisms of the homeless census are that they are unscientific and subjective, that the census is not all-encompassing and that weather can distort the results.

We feel that the Homeless Census is a worthwhile investment of our time: after all, we’re Realtors…helping people who are without homes is what we do.