The warming shelter at First United Methodist Church is open overnight but has no beds.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The new year's weeks of frigid temperatures have likely meant fewer people on the streets.

This year's Point In Time count was taken on Wednesday, Jan. 29, and while totals are still being finalized, ServiceNet saw lower numbers in its count than expected.

"We have a full week to survey folks on where they stayed on that night of the 29th and I'll tell you, I don't have the exact numbers because we just ended but from our outreach, it was less than we expected to see," Erin Forbush, director of shelter and housing at ServiceNet, reported to the Homelessness Advisory Committee on Wednesday.

"And so when I say that, we're working with people every day, so we kind of have an idea of the folks that are outside and don't have a permanent space to call their home but we're also experiencing a really cold winter and so typically, colder winters mean people do in the Northeast find a space to be."

The PIT is an attempt to determine how many people are experiencing homelessness in Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties. It is mostly done through a series of surveys but also includes information from local service providers.

Forbush reported that her agency surveyed around 25 people who spent the night in a place that was "not meant for human habitation" on that day. 

"We did not find or interview any families that were out on that night but I can say that on a regular basis, there are families calling my office, one of our shelters," she added.

"I would say there's probably three to five families in any given week that we are attempting to assist and there's just not a ton of assistance so that's a part of the bigger piece of that crisis as well so I think that's gonna be a conversation we're gonna be having as time moves forward."

On the day of last year's Point In Time count, Jan. 25, there were at least 221 homeless people: 180 in shelters, 31 unsheltered, and 10 who were couch surfing or in other temporary shelters.  

One year ago, ServiceNet opened a 40-bed shelter at 21 Pearl St., and in December, a warming shelter opened in First United Methodist Church connected to the shelter.

Forbush reported that the shelter has been consistently full, with open beds becoming occupied as soon as another person leaves. The warming shelter is a place where people can come from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. but does not have beds. It sees an average of about 25 people per night.

"It's really someplace for people to come in and get warm. They can stay as short a time as they want, or as long as a time between the 10 and eight hours," she said.

"We do our normal breakfast in the morning, and people can stay in the morning to have breakfast if they so choose."

She confirmed that nobody is turned away.

Director of Community Development Justine Dodds recognized the work put into the shelter and thanked Forbush and her staff, adding "We don't want anybody to be homeless and cold in Pittsfield at all."

Forbush said it is a group effort, with shelter guests welcoming newcomers and making sure they have warm blankets and resources that they need.

She reported it has been "relatively smooth" so far.

"I would say we've probably about 60 unduplicated people utilizing the space," she reported.

"And when I say that, obviously some maybe were here all month of December and then we don't see them and some are coming back and forth and some are people that we've known and some are people that we're meeting for the very first time."

Forbush recommended that the advocates start planning for the next winter and "maybe come up with a more permanent plan so that I don't do the winter dance every year."

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