The annual statewide Point-in-Time count, or PIT, will take place on the mornings of Jan. 25-27. Volunteers will survey people to find out where they slept on those mornings in addition to where they slept on the evening of Jan. 24. This will help to provide an in-depth look at the state’s homeless problem.

The PIT count is a tally of sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January, said Sarah Nielson, public information officer for the Utah Office of Homeless Services. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires that local Continuums of Care conduct an annual count of people experiencing homelessness who are sheltered in emergency shelter, transitional housing and safe havens on a given night.

“The 2023 Point-in-Time count, conducted as a statewide one-night count, revealed a 3.7% increase in the number of individuals experiencing homelessness compared to the previous year, from 3,556 in 2022 to 3,687 in 2023,” Nielson said.

The purpose of PIT is to gain a deeper understanding of how many people and families in Utah are experiencing unsheltered homelessness, which includes living on the streets or in cars, RVs or other places not meant for human habitation, Nielsen said.

“Our goal is to get the most accurate count possible, and we rely heavily on the support of our volunteers across the state,” said Wayne Niederhauser, state homeless coordinator. “Through the dedication of volunteers, we can effectively assess the extent of homelessness among Utahns statewide.”

Once the information is gathered, it will help policymakers set benchmarks to measure progress toward ending homelessness and help plan services and programs to appropriately address local needs.

Nielsen said volunteers will be working in teams to seek out and interview those experiencing unsheltered homelessness. Virtual training will be held in advance and will cover the use of the survey app, best practices for approaching and interviewing those experiencing homelessness, youth homelessness, racial equity in PIT, a trauma-informed approach to PIT, and other necessary info to prepare volunteers for a successful experience.

“On the mornings of Thursday, Friday and Saturday, volunteer teams will thoroughly explore an assigned geographic area to connect with those experiencing homelessness,” Nielsen said. “Volunteers may sign up for one day but are strongly encouraged to participate for all three days if possible.”

Each area of Utah may conduct counts differently, so the public should reach out to the contact person listed where they’d like to volunteer.

Sign up to volunteer at endutahhomelessness.org/point-in-time-count.