1 NOW AND TOMORROW EXCELLENCE IN EVERYTHING WE

1 NOW AND TOMORROW EXCELLENCE IN EVERYTHING WE DO Data Analysis: Comparing Across Counts HPS Pi. T Count Coordinator Workshop November 2017

2 Everyone Counts 2018 NOW AND TOMORROW EXCELLENCE IN EVERYTHING WE DO Comparisons across years Things to look for: 1. Changes in chronic homelessness within the context of how many people have been housed from the chronic population since the last count. 2. Changes in the number of people from populations. Analyzing proportions makes it difficult to interpret what is causing the difference, since a decrease in the proportion from one population will cause an increase in another, all things being equal. 3. If there have been any particular local initiatives (e. g. , focused on populations or interventions) the PIT can be used to evaluate the impact.

3 Everyone Counts 2018 NOW AND TOMORROW EXCELLENCE IN EVERYTHING WE DO Comparisons across years Changes in your methodology or implementation across years will affect your numbers. For example: 1. More survey teams or surveyors per team will increase your ability to survey people in unsheltered locations. 2. Changes in survey routes, including better targeted routes, will help to survey people in unsheltered locations. 3. Magnet events largely impact hidden homelessness, but magnet events that are focused on a specific population will help you survey that population. Bear this in mind when reporting on demographics. 4. More generally, an increased focus on particular populations (e. g. , youth) will improve your ability to reach out to that population.

4 Everyone Counts 2018 NOW AND TOMORROW EXCELLENCE IN EVERYTHING WE DO Comparisons across years Consider the community context: 1. Changes in the economic context in the community will affect your numbers, including vacancy and employment rates. 2. Increased shelter capacity could increase your numbers. It is easier to identify people in shelters 3. New or expanded Housing First programs should lead to decreases in chronic homelessness, although this may be masked by inflow. 4. Weather! Colder, wetter, snowier weather will make it harder to encounter people experiencing unsheltered homelessness.