Every two years, communities across the country conduct comprehensive counts of individuals experiencing homelessness in order to measure the prevalence of homelessness in each local Continuum of Care. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development dictates the Point-in-Time Count’s methodology and timing to achieve nationwide consistency.
Questions regarding the 2024 Point-in-Time Count can be directed to project lead: Kari Howell, HMIS Program Manager at [email protected].
2024 Countywide Point-in-Time Count
The 2024 San Luis Obispo County Point-in-Time Count will take place on Tuesday, January 23, 2024.
How to get involved:
Volunteer
Volunteers must be signed up no later than Friday, January 12 to attend the last available training.
The County of San Luis Obispo is looking for 200-300 volunteers to help count those experiencing sheltered and unsheltered homelessness within our communities. If you are interested in volunteering or would like to learn more about the opportunity, please complete the interest form below:
Volunteer Interest Form
Join the PIT Count Committee
Representatives from community agencies, faith-based organizations, homeless service providers, local law enforcement, and advocates across the county are invited to join the PIT Count Committee. For the PIT Count to be as successful as possible, we need a wide spectrum of perspectives and input.
At the leadership of Thurmond Consultants, the PIT Count Committee is responsible for coordinating a successful PIT Count, including identifying key encampment locations, providing valuable feedback for incentives, overall best practices, marketing and publicity assistance, and assistance in volunteer recruitment.
To learn more about the PIT Count Committee or see current resources, please go to the PIT Count Committee page.
For those interested in joining the PIT Count Committee, please click the link below:
Join the PIT Count Committee
The PIT Count Committee will meet virtually every week on Thursdays at 4PM starting Nov. 30, 2023.
Other Ways to Help
The Point-in-Time Count will be launching on the morning of January 23rd from 6 to 10 logistics centers found throughout the county. To support our amazing volunteers, we need businesses, community groups, and enthusiastic neighbors to supply coffee, pastries, and other breakfast goodies before the early morning work begins.
If you are interested in hosting a breakfast or would like to learn more, please reach out to Suzie Freeman, Communications Program Manager, at [email protected] or 805-457-5007.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Point-in-Time Count, also known as the PIT Count, is the most comprehensive census of people experiencing homelessness in our county. The PIT Count is an opportunity to better understand the unique characteristics of our most vulnerable community members.
When is the 2024 Point-in-Time Count?
The 2024 Point-in-Time Count will take place on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. The adult unsheltered count will take place at a time still-to-be-determined and the Youth Count will take place in the afternoon, between 2 and 7pm respectively.
The Homeless Services Division in the Department of Social Services for the County of San Luis Obispo is contracting with Thurmond Consulting Group to lead the PIT Count. Thurmond Consulting is based out of the Sacramento area and have worked with Yuba County, Yolo County, and the Eastern Sierra Continuum of Care.
Why does SLO County conduct a PIT Count?
The US Dept of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires a biannual count of all people in SLO County’s Continuum of Care experiencing homelessness. HUD determines the Methodology and timing for the Point-in-Time Count to achieve nationwide consistency.
How does the County benefit from a PIT Count?
Conducting a comprehensive Point-in-Time Count meets federal and state requirements for funding opportunities as well as provides information that helps inform policy decisions and aids in public education efforts. A county-wide effort has the potential to drive the community’s will to address local homelessness.
What does the County do with information learned during the PIT Count?
Information learned during the Point-in-Time Count is reported to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and to Homeless Data Integration System (HDIS) with the State of California. Additionally, a community report is created to inform all community partners and the public regarding local homelessness. Results from PIT Counts nationwide are provided to create the Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) shared with the U.S. Congress illustrating nationwide estimates of homelessness.
What will the volunteer training provide?
All volunteers will complete a 2-hour training, either in-person or virtually, prior to the PIT Count. Training will provide volunteers with a sample script for administering the survey, safety best practices to follow, emergency contact information, and directions for utilizing the app for the day of the PIT Count.
Can people volunteer for the PIT Count without attending training?
No, not at this time. All volunteers will need to learn how to use the survey app and how to engage compassionately with the people being surveyed.
2022 Point-in-Time Count Results
The 2022 San Luis Obispo County Point-in-Time Count was a community-wide effort conducted on February 23rd, 2022. In the weeks following the street count, a survey was administered to 333 unsheltered and sheltered individuals experiencing homelessness in order to profile their experience and characteristics.
Read the full report here: 2022 San Luis Obispo Point-in-Time Count Report
View the 2022 survey:
English version
Spanish version
To view past results, please go to Previous PIT Count Reports.