What is the Point-in-Time (PIT) Count?
- A literal count of all the people experiencing homelessness in our community on a single night (i.e., at a point in time)
- Conducted by every community nationwide in the last 10 days of January at least every other year
- A “snapshot” of homelessness on this one night in our Community
Who is counted in the PIT Count?
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD’s) definition of “homeless,” for the purpose of the PIT count, includes two main types of homelessness:
- Unsheltered: Individuals or families whose primary nighttime residence is a public place not meant for human habitation
- Sheltered: Individuals or families residing in a place dedicated to serving people who would otherwise be unsheltered
- Emergency shelters (including those using hotel and motel vouchers)
- Transitional housing
- Safe Havens
Why do we do a PIT count?
- To measure and monitor trends and changes in homelessness on local and national levels
- To help our community understand what resources we need and strategize the best ways to use them to end homelessness
- To comply with federal regulations and requirements
Volunteer
The Kalamazoo County Continuum of Care utilizes volunteers to help us conduct the unsheltered portion of the county-wide 2024 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count. The Point in Time Count is a literal count of all the people experiencing homelessness in our community on a single night. The data gathered from the PIT count also helps us better understand who is experiencing homelessness in our community, receive local, state, and federal assistance, and strategize the best ways to use our resources to end homelessness.
This year the Point in Time Count will take place Tuesday, January 23.
Volunteers will be led by experienced homeless service providers and will work in teams to canvas assigned areas of the county by vehicle and/or foot to conduct surveys of unhoused people in the locations they are residing. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old, comfortable talking to strangers, and able to walk several miles in outdoor winter conditions. Completion of an online 90-minute training is required for all volunteers. More information and resources will be provided at this training session. Please read our Frequently Asked Questions for more information.
Volunteer slots are full for the 2024 count. The next opportunity will be in January 2025.
If you have any questions, email coc@uwscmi.org.