Here’s how Sacramento County residents can help with the upcoming homeless count
Sacramento County needs 1,000 volunteers to survey homeless people living outdoors for the Point-in-Time Count Jan. 26 and 27.
The nighttime count, which happens once every two years, provides a snapshot of the homeless population in the county. The results influence the amount of funding that local agencies receive to address the homelessness crisis. People who want to help must register online at sacramento.pointintime.info by Jan. 15. More information is available on the website of Sacramento Steps Forward, a nonprofit group that manages the count locally.
Volunteers must be 18 and must have a smartphone, as the information will be collected via an app. But no experience is necessary, and training materials and videos will be provided beforehand. Volunteers will count and talk to homeless people on two nights between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. in assigned areas throughout the county. Most activity will take place in the city of Sacramento, where the majority of homeless people are concentrated.
The app will have more questions to ask anyone who is willing to take a brief survey. The survey includes questions about how long the person has been homeless and what services they most need.
The results of the last PIT count in 2024 showed a huge reduction in homelessness, which many people questioned and which led to a significant drop in federal funding. Between shelters and the street, 6,615 people were counted in 2024, a number 29% lower than the previous count in 2022, which showed that almost 9,300 people were homeless.
Unhoused people in particular were, according to the count, less numerous. In 2022, the count showed 6,664 unsheltered people, but in 2024, that number dropped to 3,944.
Last month, The Sacramento Bee reported that recent data from Sacramento Steps Forward showed almost 9,000 people across the county were homeless.
