Who: Continuums of Care (CoCs), through local and regional planning organizations, coordinate the count, relying on trained staff and community volunteers. It is mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for CoCs to count the number of individuals and families living in emergency shelters, transitional housing, safe havens, or places not meant for human habitation (like streets, cars, abandoned buildings, or parks).

What: It is a count of sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness. It includes both a basic tally of individuals and surveys to understand demographics, such as veterans, families, and youth. 

Where: Communities across the United States that receive federal funding for homelessness programs participate locally in their specific jurisdictions. Volunteers and outreach workers search streets, encampments, public parks, meal programs, and shelters within the CoC's designated geographic region.

When: It occurs during a single night in the final 10 days of January. Upcoming PIT Count is set for January 27, 2027.

Why: Tracking Progress: It helps policymakers, local leaders, and organizations measure the scale of homelessness, evaluate programs, and track progress toward ending it. 

How: Teams use a brief, standardized face-to-face survey, asking about housing history and needs without asking for personal identifying information.  Some communities will organize outreach events the night of or within 7 days of the PIT count date to encourage the unsheltered to attend and complete the survey. Survey data is compiled to report findings to HUD.

FOR MORE INFORMATION on the Point-In-Time Count
near you, contact your local Continuum of Care.