LA County Homeless Count Volunteers Needed In Calabasas

CALABASAS, CA — Want to help make a difference in the homelessness crisis? The Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count is seeking volunteers in Calabasas to help conduct the annual census of people experiencing homelessness on Jan. 23.

Each year, thousands of volunteers spread out across the 4,000 square miles of LA County to tally people living in tents, vehicles and makeshift shelters. The count, conducted over three days, serves as a snapshot of the region's homeless population and is a bedrock of crucial data for policymakers and social-services providers.

Government agencies, including the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, use the data to steer strategy and determine how to distribute funding, according to LAHSA.

“The annual Homeless Count is an important tool to understand where our neighbors experiencing homelessness are located and to know where services are needed most, so we can help as many people as possible come home,” said LAHSA CEO Dr. Va Lecia Adams Kellum. “However, we can’t do it alone. We need thousands of people to come out and count as many census tracts as possible so we can deliver accurate results this spring.”

LAHSA is seeking 50 volunteers in the Calabasas and Agoura Hills area to help conduct the local count, which will take place the night of Jan. 23.

Volunteers fan out across assigned areas within their cities and use an app to count the number of unsheltered people living in the area.

Last year's count recorded an estimated 75,518 homeless people living in the county, a 9 percent rise over 2022, according to LAHSA.

To learn more or sign up to volunteer visit the Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count's website.