As a long-term resident of Fremont, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Roelle Balan’s article on Alameda County’s Point-In-Time (PIT) Count and the voice it gave in addressing homelessness. The PIT Count is such a critical public health tool that helps not only identify needs but also guide funding decisions and resource allocation in communities.
For example, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development relies on PIT data to distribute homelessness assistance funds and evaluate the effectiveness of local responses.
Homelessness and housing are public health crises. Rising homelessness is directly associated with worsening physical and mental health outcomes. With federal housing funds facing significant potential cuts, the county’s decision to allocate 80% of Measure W’s annual revenue towards the Home Together Plan was an important step in protecting community health.
However, looking at the priorities of federal funding raises hard questions about imbalance. The U.S. military in 2023 alone exceeded $820 billion. Even a small portion of that funding could dramatically strengthen housing and public health infrastructure on a nationwide scale. Budgets are structural determinants of health that shape health equity.
To address homelessness at its roots, the county should support community-based participatory budgeting. This approach allows community members, especially those with lived experiences of homelessness, to have a real voice in shaping funding priorities.
Thank you for shedding light on this important public health issue in our community.
Erin Chen
Master of Public Health candidate
University of Southern California
