Community unites to support annual Point-In-Time Count and resource fair

A man giving a haircut to another man. — William Pacheco receives a free haircut from Antonio Little, owner of Drow Cuttz in Moreno Valley, at a resource fair co-hosted by San Bernardino County and the city of Colton.

San Bernardino County held its annual Point-In-Time Count last week, along with a Health and Safety Fair to provide critical resources to the unhoused community. While the results of the annual count will take several months to verify and analyze before being released, the PITC provided an opportunity for county departments and service providers to address the immediate needs of homeless individuals by offering food, shelter and access to healthcare services.

Hundreds of volunteers gathered at deployment centers across the county as early as 5:30 a.m., where they were assigned to groups. At the San Bernardino deployment center, brief remarks were shared by Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Joe Baca, Jr. and San Bernardino City Mayor Helen Tran before volunteers set out to conduct the count.

“The annual count is really about taking a snapshot of homelessness in our county,” said Baca, Jr. “It’s important to identify the problem so we can address it effectively and pinpoint key locations for our unhoused population so we can get resources to the people who need it the most.”

Data from the 2024 PITC revealed that San Bernardino had the highest number of unhoused individuals within the county. Mayor Tran said she’s looking forward to seeing the results of this year’s PITC.

“We’re really interested in knowing how the unhoused population looks this year,” said Tran. “I’m particularly pleased that so many volunteers came together to ensure that we’re counting all the unhoused in San Bernardino County, especially in the city of the San Bernardino.”

A total of 703 individuals signed up to volunteer for the annual PITC. Anthony Zavala from the Salvation Army said he decided to participate because his organization is dedicated to addressing homelessness.

“I’m happy to support the county in any way that I can,” said Zavala. “In my role of overseeing our transitional housing program called Path to Prosperity, I see how homelessness has impacted the city of San Bernardino. We’re here because we’re very committed to addressing this issue.”

Data from this year’s PITC will help secure much needed funding to ensure resources are being directed to areas of the county that need it the most. Last year’s data indicated that the highest number of unhoused individuals were found in Barstow, Colton, Fontana, Ontario, Redlands, San Bernardino and Victorville. Since then, the county has worked with its partners in those specific areas to host several homeless outreach events, create permanent and interim housing units and launch non-congregate shelter.

One of the most innovative housing projects that received support from the county last year is located in Fontana, which is represented by Second District Supervisor Jesse Armendarez. The county provided $5 million to Water of Life Community Church toward the creation of its new CityLink campus, which provides emergency and transitional housing. The new CityLink campus served as the Fontana deployment center, where Supervisor Armendarez and others gathered prior to the count.

“The annual count plays a critical role in securing funding to support innovative projects like the CityLink campus,” said Armendarez. “This campus has made immediate housing and critical services available to those in need. I’m proud to have contributed to the construction of this building, which will provide hope and a second chance to those who need it most.”

Volunteers conducted the count from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Following the count, a Health and Safety Fair was held at the Gonzales Community Center in Colton. The event was organized by San Bernardino County and the city of Colton, with resources provided by various county departments and community partners, including Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County and Loma Linda Veterans Affairs. Unhoused individuals were given access to showers, health and dental exams, vaccinations, behavioral health supportive services, information on animal care services, and assistance with enrolling in Medi-Cal and CalFresh.

William Pacheco, who received services at the resource fair, said he felt blessed by the experience.

“If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be able to get my teeth fixed or a haircut,” said Pacheco. “I’m going to pray for all of them and their families.”

Pacheco was accompanied by his case manager, Jeffrey Everett, who said he struggled with homelessness at one point.

“We didn’t have services like this when I was growing up,” he said. “This gentleman [Pacheco] wanted some help, and we’re committed to doing whatever we can to lift people up.”

As a part of its ongoing efforts, San Bernardino County will continue to address homelessness by engaging in outreach events, providing supportive services, securing funding to increase shelter capacity and investing in affordable housing. For more information about the county’s Homeless Strategic Action Plan, please visit https://homelesstohome.sbcounty.gov/.

Additional County Update News – Jan. 30, 2025