1 Bay Area county among few in US that record homeless deaths. Here's how it can help save lives
OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Every city in America tries to get an accurate count of the number of unhoused people, but few record their deaths. Alameda County has been analyzing homeless deaths since 2018. There's a reason for that.
Billie Bobb lives in an RV and is the owner of a gigantic pile of goods. He's been unhoused since 1988.
The "why" is irrelevant he told ABC7 News, what's important is that he's learned to adjust.
"God fulfilled his promise, three scores and ten," he said.
'Three scores and ten' is a Biblical term meaning a life expectancy of 70 years old. Billie Bobb is 71.
But for those living on the streets in all of Alameda County, the average age of those who die experiencing homelessness is 52, most are male and African American.
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According to the most recent numbers compiled, 351 unhoused people died in Alameda County in 2022.
"Cardiac, hypertension, diabetes, liver disease, cancer, stroke," outlined David Modersbach who works for the Alameda County Health Care for the Homeless Program.
Drug overdoses are also a factor. How do they know this?
"We did data matching to find out how many people who died in Alameda County were also homeless, known to be homeless, and then we also looked at death records to see if there were clues, died in a dumpster, died on the street, in a tent, encampment, unsheltered," Modersbach said.
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That information helps avoid unnecessary deaths and determine the kinds of treatments needed to save lives.
Lucy Kasdin directs the program.
"Like really bring care and increasing access to care for this community and so bringing that service directly to people where they live as opposed to them leaving their belongings, they get stolen, when they go to a clinic," explained Kasdin.
"Being a female out there, it's not safe and coming here and being able to lock my door, also have a bathroom, it's amazing," Marlisa Fisher said.
Once unhoused, she has now been given supportive housing but remembers the few times when people died alone.
"There was one gentleman who passed away and he was in an encampment, in a tent. He was there like for a week. No one knew," she revealed.
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Stonis Arrington was born and raised in West Oakland, a short distance from where he now calls home. He's been homeless for three years.
ABC7 News asked him if, someday, he thought he would get out of his situation.
"Yes, that's the only thing that keeps me going is hope and prayer," he responded.
Stonis and Billie Bobb told us they didn't give dying on these streets a second thought.
"When people realize they are going to die, I think that's the point in life when everyone goes crazy," explained Stonis.
"No, I've got faith, I've got faith in God," said Billie Bobb.
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