Lincoln’s homeless population is counted every January, but is it accurate?

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Volunteers spend one night every January counting the homeless population, as part of a nationwide effort.

In Lincoln, the Homeless Coalition partners with other organizations to count those who are experiencing homelessness.

But an ABC News analysis found that the counts across the U.S. miss many homeless people.

The numbers for this year won’t be released until spring, but in 2023, volunteers counted 429 homeless people in Lincoln.

“It’s hard to be 100% accurate, but that’s the most accurate that we can get,” said Melissa Ripley, the Lincoln Police Department’s homeless outreach coordinator. “We work well together in identifying those experiencing homelessness, so we pretty much know who’s out there and where people are.” 

But Ripley said the process can be a challenge sometimes.

She said in the winter, homeless people might not be where they normally are because “they’re trying to find somewhere warm.”

“That creates a challenge just tracking people down,” Ripley said.

The count results are used to determine funding for homelessness services.

In Lincoln, the People’s City Mission hosts about 70% to 80% of the homeless population.  

Its executive director, Pastor Tom Barber, said counts of homeless people often miss the entire picture. 

“It mainly captures those that are staying at the mission and that are kind of chronically homeless out on the street,” he said.

Barber said there are people who are “crisis homeless.” He said these are people living with friends or a at a family member’s house.

“That’s probably a bigger audience than the chronically homeless people,” he said.