Last night, Sacramento County sent hundreds of volunteers into the streets, parks and roadside encampments for a two-night sweep that will help decide where millions in housing and shelter dollars end up.
The annual Point-in-Time homelessness count is underway, with teams tracking who is sleeping outside, in vehicles or in makeshift shelters. It is a quick snapshot, but it is the snapshot that drives much of the data behind local housing programs and federal grant decisions.
According to Sacramento County, volunteers are canvassing from 5 to 11 p.m. yesterday and today in coordination with Sacramento Steps Forward and other outreach partners. Armed with a mobile app and flashlights instead of clipboards, they are tallying people they encounter and, when possible, conducting short, voluntary surveys. County officials say the information will feed into regional efforts to understand what drives homelessness and to back up requests for federal shelter and service funding.
ABC10 cameras followed some of the volunteer crews as they fanned out across the city. The teams are using the Counting Us mobile app, which is compatible with federal reporting systems and helps coordinators track coverage and limit duplicate entries, according to PointInTime.
Why the count matters for housing dollars
The Point-in-Time count may look like a wonky exercise to satisfy Washington, but it is a key part of how the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and local Continuums of Care measure need and distribute homelessness funding. Local officials and service providers scrutinize the totals because they help shape where emergency shelter beds, outreach teams and long-term housing investments are placed, per guidance used by jurisdictions across the region.
The resulting data set is far from perfect, yet it carries real consequences for how resources are targeted and which projects rise to the top when money is limited.
Local context and past counts
In recent years, Sacramento’s Point-in-Time numbers have bounced around. The most recent unsheltered-inclusive count logged roughly 6,615 people experiencing homelessness in the county, down from 9,278 in 2022. KCRA has reported that those tallies have helped local agencies secure tens of millions of dollars for shelter and permanent housing.
Advocates, however, caution that a one-night snapshot can miss people who are staying out of sight or moving between hospitals, jails and friend’s couches. In other words, the real number is likely higher, even if the official count is the one that ends up in the spreadsheets.
When results will arrive and how to help
Once the nighttime canvassing wraps up, organizers will spend several weeks cleaning and analyzing the data. A formal Point-in-Time report is expected this spring, according to Sacramento County.
Residents who want to get involved in future counts or learn more about how deployment areas are chosen and how volunteers are trained can find information through the regional Point-in-Time portal and through Sacramento Steps Forward. Even a few hours of walking a route and asking questions can help shape how the region chases housing dollars the following year.
