Pierce County Volunteers Needed For Annual Point-In-Time Count

PIERCE COUNTY, WA — Pierce County Human Services is preparing to conduct its annual "point-in-time" (PIT) count in January, which helps document how many people are experiencing homelessness on a given night.

During the last survey, PIT teams counted 1,851 unhoused people over a 24-hour period, including about a quarter who were classified as chronically homeless. More than 75 percent of those interviewed said they lived in Pierce County before they became homeless, and nearly the same amount said they were sleeping in Tacoma during the survey.

Volunteers identified family crises and breakups, a lack of affordable housing and unexpected job losses as the three most common causes of homelessness. PIT counts serve as a snapshot of a single day each year, and the county estimates the full number of people experiencing homelessness is as high as 4,300.

The annual survey helps the county collect more detailed data about people living unsheltered, track how trends are changing and develop new programs to respond.

"The PIT Count is a vital tool we use to help us understand why people experience homelessness," said Heather Moss, director of Pierce County Human Services. "We are thankful for volunteers who are willing to learn more about homelessness in our community and help us with this important event."

For this year's count, officials are looking for hundreds of volunteers to aid in the count and interview people living without shelter. Volunteers must be at least 18, agree to attend a training session and have access to a smartphone. Each member can choose to work a two or four-hour shift. Those who are unable to participate can consider donating cold-weather items for teams to distribute, including space blankets, hats, socks, gloves, hand warmers and hygiene kits.

Last year, nearly 200 volunteers participated and interviewed nearly 350 people.

The 2023 PIT count is scheduled to begin on Jan. 26, and donations can be dropped off through Jan. 23. Virtual and in-person training sessions are scheduled several times in January.

>> Learn more about participating in this year's count on the Pierce County website.