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Indicator Gauge Icon Legend

Legend Colors

Red is bad, green is good, blue is not statistically different/neutral.

Compared to Distribution

an indicator guage with the arrow in the green the value is in the best half of communities.

an indicator guage with the arrow in the yellow the value is in the 2nd worst quarter of communities.

an indicator guage with the arrow in the red the value is in the worst quarter of communities.

Compared to Target

green circle with white tick inside it meets target; red circle with white cross inside it does not meet target.

Compared to a Single Value

green diamond with downward arrow inside it lower than the comparison value; red diamond with downward arrow inside it higher than the comparison value; blue diamond with downward arrow inside it not statistically different from comparison value.

Trend

green square outline with upward trending arrow inside it green square outline with downward trending arrow inside it non-significant change over time; green square with upward trending arrow inside it green square with downward trending arrow inside it significant change over time; blue square with equals sign no change over time.

Compared to Prior Value

green triangle with upward trending arrow inside it higher than the previous measurement period; green triangle with downward trending arrow inside it lower than the previous measurement period; blue equals sign no statistically different change  from previous measurement period.

green chart bars Significantly better than the overall value

red chart bars Significantly worse than the overall value

light blue chart bars No significant difference with the overall value

gray chart bars No data on significance available

More information about the gauges and icons

Total Homeless Population

Measurement Period: 2023
This indicator shows the total homeless population, including both sheltered and unsheltered persons. This measure is based on a point-in-time count carried out on a singular designated night in the last 10 calendar days of January or at such other time as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires.

Why is this important?

Homelessness is an issue of concern to the United States generally and to California specifically. For many persons experiencing homelessness, homelessness is caused by the gap between income and the cost of housing. This lack of stable housing leads to cycling through crisis‑driven systems, such as emergency rooms, psychiatric hospitals, detox centers, and jails. Homelessness is therefore costly not only to those who experience it firsthand but also to the entities that fund these crisis‑driven systems. Further, stable housing is considered the foundation upon which people build their lives—without a safe, decent, affordable place to live, it is much more difficult to achieve good health, positive educational outcomes, or economic potential.
More...
1,804
persons
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Measurement period: 2023
Maintained by: Conduent Healthy Communities Institute
Last update: September 2024
Filter(s) for this location: State: California
Compared to See the Legend
Technical note: Individuals not on Continuums of Care (CoCs) Housing Inventory Count (HIC), those in permanent housing programs, staying with family or friends, residing in owned or rented housing, and those in institutions such as jails or hospitals are not included in the PIT count.

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Data Source

Filed under: Economy / Homelessness, Social Determinants of Health

Santa Cruz