Point in Time Count
Gathering insights into homelessness within our community.
PIT 2026 is scheduled for January 28, 2026
Volunteers will go out the evening of January 28 (6:00 – 10:00 p.m.) and the morning of January 29 (6:00 – 8:00 a.m.).
All volunteers must attend a virtual orientation session in January
The next unsheltered PIT count is scheduled to take place January 28, 2026. More details coming soon
What is the Point-in-Time Count?
The Point-in-Time (PIT) Count is a snapshot of homelessness that takes place on a single night in January each year. It includes both sheltered and unsheltered individuals and families experiencing homelessness. HUD requires every Continuum of Care (CoC) to conduct an annual count of people staying in emergency shelters, transitional housing, and Safe Havens on that designated night. In addition, CoCs must also conduct a count of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness. Each PIT Count is locally planned, coordinated, and carried out by the community.
The PIT Count helps communities:
Monitor trends in homelessness locally including tracking progress in reducing homelessness
Identify unmet needs and characteristics of people experiencing homelessness
Determine where new programs or services are needed, or where resources should be reallocated
Raise public awareness about homelessness by educating and involving the community housing and homeless efforts
Measure progress toward ending homelessness in the CoC
To meet HUD requirements, all HUD-funded agencies must participate in both the sheltered and unsheltered counts. While the PIT Count does not capture every individual experiencing homelessness, it provides critical data to guide planning and services in each community.
Click here for more information.
Why does the Point-in-Time Count matter?
Point-in-Time Count data are the primary data national estimates of homelessness. The numbers reported by your community are used by the US Interagency Council on Homelessness and all federal departments including Housing and Education. PIT Count numbers are also most often cited by local strategic plans, state, county and city government and the media.
Do you want to volunteer for the Unsheltered Count?
To register for the PIT count, please sign up here (COMING SOON)
When is training?
Training will be provided in person and online. All volunteers will be sent a link to the training video in January. Please note that those who are new volunteers will be paired with someone who has participated before This will help with any questions you have. The training video will be sent to the email address provided when you signed up.
What is the Point in Time Count
The annual PIT count helps CoCs determine the extent of homelessness in the community and determine unmet need.
PIT counts help communities:
Monitor trends in homelessness locally
Identify unmet needs and characteristics of those experiencing homelessness
Identify the need for new programs and services or re-distribution of programs and services
Raise awareness about homelessness
Measure if homelessness is being ended in a CoC
To meet HUD requirements, funded agencies are required to participate in the sheltered and unsheltered count. HUD and the CoC acknowledge that the unsheltered count will not totally reflect the exact number of those experiencing homeless in the community.
Click here for more information.
Message from the PIT Committee
We have made the decision to conduct the unsheltered PIT count every other year to provide more time to analyze the data and make informed decisions about updating priorities in the Continuum of Care (CoC). By conducting the PIT count less frequently, we will have more time to thoroughly review the data, identify trends, and discuss recommendations for updating priorities within the CoC. This can lead to more effective strategies for addressing homelessness and allocating resources.
It's important to ensure that even though the PIT count is conducted less frequently, there are still mechanisms in place to monitor homelessness trends and respond to emerging needs in the off years. Regular data collection and analysis throughout the year will help provide insights into evolving challenges and inform proactive approaches.
Overall, taking this step will allow for a more comprehensive and deliberate approach to addressing homelessness within our community. The sheltered count will continue to happen each year.