Next Tuesday before sunrise, volunteers across metro Phoenix will head out for the annual Point-in-Time homelessness count, a one-night push to tally people sleeping in shelters, cars, parks and other places not meant for habitation. Teams will conduct brief surveys and map encampments to better understand who needs help, with the overnight snapshot used to target services and support across the Valley.
The Maricopa Association of Governments coordinates the Point-in-Time count for the region and partners with the Maricopa Regional Continuum of Care to bring cities, nonprofits and faith groups together for the effort. Maricopa Regional Continuum of Care materials explain that the operation combines street outreach with shelter counts and a short survey to capture basic needs and demographics.
When and where volunteers will work
Local teams are set to begin before sunrise next Tuesday, with the City of Mesa listing volunteer meeting times at 5 a.m. on its public calendar. Organizers are recruiting more than 1,000 volunteers regionwide to scour alleys, parks and riverbeds and to count people in shelters, according to AZFamily.
Why the count matters
The Point-in-Time results feed into applications for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funding and help planners decide where beds and outreach should be placed across the region. Tim Burch, co-chair of the Maricopa Regional Continuum of Care and Tempe’s Community Health and Human Services director, said the count “determines how much federal funding we can compete for” and helps guide where services are sent, as reported by AZFamily. Maricopa Association of Governments notes the region used last year’s Point-in-Time data alongside its Homeless Management Information System to analyze trends and that prior results were published in late spring.
Youth count runs longer
Because young people often are not in the same places as adults, the Continuum of Care is running a separate, extended youth count so outreach teams have more time to find and engage youth. That youth-specific effort runs from Jan. 27 through Feb. 13 and includes virtual participation options, as reported by KTAR, and the Continuum of Care’s Point-in-Time materials explain why a longer timeline is necessary.
How to sign up
Volunteers should register with their city’s Point-in-Time coordinator, with many cities posting sign-up details and contacts on their websites. For example, the City of Mesa lists coordinator names and registration instructions on its Point-in-Time page, and regional partners compile coordinator information for participating jurisdictions. The City of Mesa and the Maricopa Association of Governments Point-in-Time pages have additional details.
