Eastside volunteers braved the cold weather and counted 158 homeless people in Redmond, Kirkland and Bellevue early last Friday morning.

Among the nine territories covered by the annual count organized by the Seattle King County Coalition on Homelessness (SKCCH), the three Eastside cities had the fourth largest population after Seattle (1,976), Kent (193) and those trying to sleep on buses (171). The count was conducted between 2-5 a.m.

According to volunteers, men and women slept in cars piled with clothing and personal possessions, their windows hung with newspapers or blankets to keep out the light and the cold.

Others were found huddled in sleeping bags or bedrolls in tents and under tarps in makeshift camps hidden by underbrush, trying to stay warm in the freezing, foggy weather, some with a small campfire.

A few took shelter in a restaurant after paying for a meal. Some slept under roadways or in doorways.

To assure their safety, specific locations where homeless individuals were found will not be made public. A summary is available at http://www.homelessinfo.org/onc.html

The count reported a total of 2,826 men, women and children, up 2 percent from 2008. Many suburbs, especially Kent, reported dramatic growth. The figure for the three Eastside cities was up 3 percent.

The overnight total does not include those in shelters or transitional housing. SKCCH expects that number to be approximately 6,000. The count does not cover the entire county, focusing on densely populated areas, nor does it include people doubled up with family or friends as they are not considered homeless under federal guidelines. Conducted annually since 1981, the results of the count help allocate resources and plan for future needs, particularly low-income and transitional housing.

Many government officials participated in the count. Redmond officials included City Council members Hank Margeson, Pat Vache, Hank Myers and David Carson.

“If there are still those who feel that the tragedy of homelessness does not extend to Redmond, I am witness that it does,” Margeson said.

Myers commented, “I was surprised we did not find any homeless in wooded areas, but most were car camping. I think our survey this year was more thorough and better organized and I certainly intend to make this a regular event on my calendar. Despite the hour and the weather, it was a well-spent several hours.”