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Odessa Links reports 212 people counted in 2025 PIT; shelter overflow raised unsheltered count
Summary
Odessa Links presented results of the city’s Point‑in‑Time (PIT) homeless count: 212 people were recorded across sheltered and unsheltered settings. Organizers said temporary sheltering at the Salvation Army for severe weather raised the census of sheltered people and that Odessa lacks shelter capacity compared with neighboring Midland.
Andrea Quidos, director for Odessa Links, told the City Council the March PIT count recorded 212 people across Odessa and the region and credited city staff, police and volunteers for helping reach encampments and shelters.
“The PIT count is a homeless count ... but there’s a person behind that count,” Quidos said, urging the council to treat the results as a starting point for services rather than a final tally.
Jesus Gomez, who presented the PIT data for Odessa Links, said the total was 212 and explained that the unsheltered number rose because Salvation Army had opened overflow space during cold weather. Gomez said the Salvation Army opened its gym when temperatures dipped and that the shelter’s normal capacity is about 45 people — “22 men beds, 11 women beds and 12 beds for two families” — with additional cots used during extreme weather. He told the council the overflow temporarily increased the sheltered total and raised the overall count of people in the PIT snapshot.
Why it matters: PIT counts are used in federal homeless‑services planning and competitive grant applications, including HUD Consolidated Plan and rapid‑rehousing programs. Quidos noted that Odessa Links has worked to collect HMIS records and emphasized case management, a day center, and a shared HMIS platform as priorities to help people move from emergency shelter to permanent housing.
Services and capacity: Quidos and Gomez described Odessa’s shelter capacity as limited. Project Hope and several other local programs provide rapid rehousing and scattered‑site rental assistance, but Quidos said available shelter beds and transitional options are insufficient for demand. They said Project Hope can house families using scattered site units rather than building a large shelter and that case management remains central to helping people stabilize.
Council response and outreach: Quidos and Gomez said they recently traveled to Austin and San Antonio to learn from larger programs such as Haven for Hope and to advocate for state bills that would support homelessness services. Council members thanked organizers, voiced support for Odessa Links’ outreach and asked for follow‑up on how many people counted are local residents versus transients; Quidos said the PIT survey includes a short questionnaire intended to capture that information.
Ending: Organizers asked the council to support information sharing, shelter capacity and a day‑center model coupled with HMIS entry to improve access to services and grant competitiveness.
