As the dawn of January 28 approaches, over a thousand volunteers prepare to briskly map out the regions of our city often overlooked, carrying out an annual census aimed to understand the prevalence of homelessness. The Point-In-Time count, orchestrated by the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG), looks to capture a one-night overview of those living without a home, including individuals in temporary shelters and on the streets. This endeavor requires a considerable volunteer force drawn from civic services, nonprofits, and faith organizations, reports MAG.
Teams from these varied backgrounds are slated to engage in a comprehensive canvassing of alleyways, parks, and other areas where individuals without homes likely seek refuge. They will try to accurately conduct brief surveys to assess the community’s immediate needs, as indicated on the Point-In-Time page on the MAG website. Media seeking to cover the count will need to quickly arrange coordination with MAG before the January 21 deadline to ensure placement with a volunteer team.
This census goes beyond the act of tallying numbers; it looks to inform policies that address the underlying struggles tied to the homelessness crisis. "The Point-In-Time count is a big undertaking, but it is only a small snapshot of the homelessness crisis. Gathering data is an important tool in creating regional solutions to the problem," Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke underscored, emphasizing the event's significance as shared in MAG.
The latest data depicts a complex narrative: last year’s count pegged at 9,435 individuals without homes in the region, signaling an overall boost in shelter availability and utilization thanks to an array of rigorous regional efforts. "We have worked extremely hard as a city, and as a region, to ensure that there are adequate places for people experiencing homelessness to find shelter as they look for somewhere to live on a permanent basis. We are proud of this progress but recognize that there is still much work to do," said Vicki Phillips, CoC Board co-chair, highlighting the ongoing challenges, as detailed by MAG.
Results from the 2025 count are anticipated later in the spring and will guide the funding applications to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which historically has nourished local homeless assistance programs with financial support. MAG’s consolidated application, leveraging previous trends and freshly collected data, continues to fuel over 32 initiatives within the community, signifying a persistent commitment to combating homelessness, according to figures provided by MAG.
