Message from PD&R Leadership:
The Annual D.C. Point-in-Time Count
In the leadership message, PD&R's director of the Research Utilization Division Heidi Joseph discusses the District of Columbia Point-in-Time (PIT) count, conducted annually among individuals experiencing sheltered and unsheltered homelessness. Joseph discusses her experiences volunteering for the D.C. PIT count and explains technological advances in the data collection as well as challenges of counting in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The information collected in the nationwide January PIT counts is included in HUD's Annual Homeless Assessment Report.

In Practice:
Mixed-Use Affordable Housing Project Is a Catalyst to Long Beach Neighborhood Plan
Opened in 2021, Spark at Midtown is one of the first affordable housing projects developed under the Midtown Specific neighborhood plan in Long Beach, California. Designed to ignite the revitalization efforts along a major transit corridor, the project's ground floor space is filled with shared community amenities that include a mini park, a YMCA building, and a community garden. The upper levels house 94 households that are low-income or previously experienced homelessness.

Research:
Quantitative and Qualitative Analyses of Unsheltered Homelessness at the Community Level
A new HUD report analyzes point-in-time (PIT) homelessness counts to analyze trends in unsheltered homelessness for Continuums of Care (CoCs) across the United States from 2015 to 2019. In addition to the quantitative analysis, the report tracks three CoCs from Virginia, Maryland, and California that implemented unique initiatives or programs to address unsheltered homelessness in their local communities. For each case study program, the researchers created a community- specific profile that includes implementation approaches, participant characteristics, and primary program outcomes.

International & Philanthropic:
The UK's Homelessness Reduction Act
In late 2021, the United Kingdom (UK) Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government became the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). The levelling up policy aims to address homelessness and rough sleeping occurring outside or in a car or vacant building. In December 2021, DLUHC briefed PD&R on progress made since implementing the 2018 Homeless Reduction Act, which focuses on prevention, intervention, and recovery. The UK government is also increasing funding for Housing First and the Affordable Housing Program to address homelessness.

Please send your comments and suggestions to editor@huduser.gov.