The Point-in-Time Count and Survey (PIT) is an annual event at the end of January that provides a snapshot of homelessness in Spokane County. The data collected during this event helps secure millions of dollars in funding for vital resources, informs policy at every level, and guides how our community allocates resources. Obtaining an accurate count of families, individuals and communities experiencing homelessness is critical to helping our communities attract state and federal funding and support local planning efforts to address a growing public health crisis.
The regional Continuum of Care Board, tasked with performing the annual Point-in-Time Count of Spokane County in collaboration with the City’s Community, Housing and Human Services (CHHS) Department, thanks the more than 200 volunteers who were survey takers in late January and all the partners! As a requirement of the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the data is used to determine funding for homeless resources and for planning efforts. Volunteers included students from Whitworth University and Washington State University’s School of Nursing. Thank you to Empire Health Foundation and Spokane Public Library for providing space for volunteer headquarters. The City of Spokane Valley and Spokane County were partners in the count.
The Point in Time Count and Survey (PIT) is a yearly, nationwide event with a mission: to identify and better serve individuals and families experiencing homelessness. The information we collect during the PIT plays a pivotal role in informing policy makers at the local, state, and national levels. This data is sent to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Washington State Department of Commerce, giving them a snapshot of Spokane residents experiencing both sheltered and unsheltered homelessness. This invaluable information helps:
Volunteers are needed to count and survey persons experiencing homelessness in the City of Spokane, City of Spokane Valley, and throughout Spokane County. Volunteers are required to attend one of our virtual training sessions.
Watch this page for volunteer signups.
The Point-in-Time Count is a "snapshot" of the number of homeless people in Spokane County on a specific day.
Volunteers are placed into survey teams of 3-5 individuals. Through a coordinated effort, teams deploy from volunteer headquarters to interview unhoused individuals following a map of a specific area to canvass. Every team is instructed to only count in their assigned area to avoid interviewing a person more than once.
Yes, all volunteers are required to participate in a training. Training sessions review the purpose of the homeless count, how to perform the count and how to download and use the Survey123 app using a smartphone.
Yes, there are 5 requirements:
Once you have participated in the volunteer training, you will be assigned to a deployment site (either volunteer headquarters or another designated site like Homeless Connect). You will receive the time to check-in, location, and name of the Point-in-Time Count leader for your deployment site through email communication. At the deployment site, volunteers will receive instructions, be placed into a counting team, and receive their assignment of the area where they will be counting.
Donations in gift cards, cold weather items (gloves, beanies, socks) or travel size hygiene products provide great support to unsheltered persons. For donations, please contact the Spokane CHHS at spokanechhs@spokanecity.org.
Point-in-Time Count
System Maps
Know the Number Guide
Updated on Aug. 14, 2024
