Since December, 74 people teetering on the edge of homelessness in Simi Valley were able to keep their homes while 64 previously homeless people now have a place to call home.

At least 138 men, women and children have been helped by the Simi Valley Alliance to House the Homeless, which brings together nonprofits, faith-based organizations and city officials to prevent evictions and end homelessness.

"It's stabilizing lives with housing or shelter," Sandra Thompson, community services specialist for the city, said Wednesday

Thompson gave the report to the Simi Valley Task Force on Homelessness, which brings together city officials and social service stakeholders to work toward the city's goal to reduce the number of homeless people by 10 percent each year.

A report released last year revealed that Simi Valley has the third-highest population of homeless people in the county. A countywide homeless count over one week found 163 homeless men, women and children in Simi Valley. The report says most of the county's homeless live in Oxnard and Ventura.

The task force meets quarterly to address homeless issues and is made up of about 20 people, including city and county officials as well as representatives of nonprofits and the community at large. It is headed by Councilwoman Barbra Williamson and Councilman Glen Becerra.

One audience member and former homeless Simi Valley resident asked if the homeless could be represented on the committee. Williamson said she thought it was a good idea.

The number of homeless seeking seasonal shelter in Simi Valley has doubled since the previous year with the Public Action to Deliver, or PADS, program, overseen by the Samaritan Center. The shelter rotates among seven churches nightly from November through March.

Betty Eskey, the Samaritan Center's executive director, said there were 126 unduplicated visitors, with 4,027 beds filled during the six months. The highest number of people seeking shelter on a single night was 58, with the lowest at 13. Eskey said 35 veterans and nine children sought shelter. The clients vary, but this year included a high number of families.

"These are people that never had to ask for help before," said Kittie Fiddermutz, the former coordinator for the PADS program. Fiddermutz recently retired as coordinator after overseeing the program seven days a week for six months out of the year for the past several years.

The task force is looking into a Web-based program that would track the social and medical services or money given to homeless clients to prevent duplicate efforts among different agencies and nonprofits.

Another program includes holding roundtable discussions to strengthen and address gaps in services.

The next task force meeting will be Sept. 18.