A new survey of homelessness found that Ballard had a 26 percent increase in the number of people living on the streets, compared to the last such street count, in 2004.

The survey, done in the early morning hours of January 27, found 364 people homeless in Ballard compared with 289 in 2004 and 253 in 2003.

The total survey area covered six regions of King County. The overall rates of homelessness in the county declined slightly from 2004, with surveyors finding 1884 people this year, compared to 2062 in 2004.No survey was conducted in 2005 because of a change in the survey month, from October to January.

Why Ballard's homelessness rate increased, while King County saw a slight decline, wasn't immediately obvious though Nicole Macri, co-chair of one of the sponsors of the event, suggested that Ballard's urbanization has allowed homelessness to be a more visible part of the community, and so been a more hospitable climate for the economically disadvantaged.

"People become more comfortable, unfortunately, with seeing homeless people in their neighborhoods," Macri said.

Kevin, a homeless person living in a four door sedan in downtown Ballard, who didn't want his last name used, said he moved to Ballard for safety.

"South Lake Union was sketchy," he said, referring to drug trafficking in the area.

As he talked to a group of surveyors, a passing security guard from a nearby Ballard business pulled up in his car to make sure no one was in danger.

The surveyors were all volunteers, organized through a collaboration of the King County Coalition of the Homeless and Operation Night Watch, a homeless outreach agency. The survey, called the One Night Count, aims to create a snapshot in time of people who are not staying in shelters or using transitional housing. Until this year, there has been a consistent increase in homelessness rates in King County over the last six. The survey itself has been taken for 26 years.

In Ballard specifically, the survey covered nine areas; Gilman Playground, Ballard High School, Ballard Locks, Ballard Playground, 15th Avenue, Shilshole Bay, Golden Gardens, Ballard Bridge and Carkeek Park. The areas were chosen on anecdotal evidence - these regions being considered homeless "hotspots" because they afforded reasonably safe areas to shelter, either in vehicles or exposed.

In all of King County, some six areas were covered, Seattle, Kent, north of Seattle, Bellevue and the east side, White Center and Federal Way. The large majority of homeless were found in Seattle, and nearly 30 percent of those people were sleeping in their cars. In one region of downtown Ballard, the prevalence for sleeping in cars was even greater. Of the 34 homeless people counted there, all but two were in vehicles.

The street counted started at 2 a.m. and continued until about 6 a.m. Some 550 individuals volunteered this year, a strong increase from the 350 volunteers in 2004.

"I think the media coverage of tent city four on the east side has generated more interest in our community about [homelessness]," Macri said, referring to a dispute over temporary homeless encampments between the city of Bellevue and Temple B'nai Torah.

Macri said a common misperception was that people living on the street were in large part mentally ill or suffered from substance abuse. In past surveys, the One Night Count has found that roughly 25 percent of these homeless people were employed. Marci speculated that the housing boom in Seattle and Ballard might increase the number of working poor living on the street.

The One Night Count survey was conducted by surveyors, moving in teams of two or more, by foot or in vehicles, looking for people, tents or vehicles with steamed up windows. They did not, in all cases, personally contact every homeless person they counted.

Organizers say the purpose of the even is to gain a better understanding of homelessness, rather than achieve an exact census. But given the vast area of King County where homeless people could be, and the fact that because of their vulnerability, homeless people are trying not to be found, the survey numbers are likely a very conservative take on the problem of homelessness in Ballard, Seattle and King County.

"We don't need to exaggerate," Macri said. "The situation is dire."