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
Registration for the 2026 Spring PIT is closed.
Be on the lookout for information related to the 2027 Point in Time Count later this year.
The Point in Time Count is a literal count of all the people experiencing homelessness in our community on a single day. 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.
Why conduct a second PIT in the spring? A Spring Point in Time Count will help us better understand the extent of homelessness during warmer seasons and better plan for shelter capacity needs throughout the year. This year, with Winter Shelter funding from Kalamazoo County, the City of Kalamazoo, and the Kalamazoo County CoC, there was significantly more shelter available during the Winter PIT. This Spring PIT will help us better understand who is now sheltered and unsheltered after these winter shelter projects have ended.
Will this data be submitted to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)? No. This Spring PIT is being conducted for local purposes only, and is not a HUD-required Point-in-Time Count. Once the data is compiled, it will be shared publicly to help the Continuum of Care, local service providers, policy makers, and others better understand the extent of homelessness in Kalamazoo County.
The 2026 Point in Time Count will take place Friday, May 29th from 6:00am-10:00am.
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 conditions.