County Includes Hermosa in Homeless Count

In an effort to get an accurate number of L.A. County's homeless population, volunteers will be counting how many people live on local streets or in homeless shelters, starting Tuesday, Jan. 25.

The county Homeless Services Authority conducts this area-wide count of those without a home every two years, and Hermosa Beach is one of the targeted cities to assess.

The homeless count in 2009 identified about 43,000 people across the county who did not have a home. When that figure was combined with Glendale, Pasadena and Long Beach (which conduct their own citywide count), the homeless population reached nearly 50,000.

"Data from the count is critical to addressing the complexities of homelessness and planning how to best invest public resources, raise public awareness, identify the needs of homeless people and improve service delivery opportunities to prevent and eliminate homelessness in our region," according to the Homeless Services Authority.

The agency is still seeking volunteers to assist in this year's homeless count. Helpers receive training before they are deployed in groups to count who is living on the streets and where.

Anyone interested in getting involved can sign up directly on the 2011 greater Los Angeles Homeless Count website. The count is scheduled to complete by Thursday, Jan. 27.

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