County of Santa Clara Seeks Volunteers for Point-in-Time Count of Unhoused Residents

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CALIF. — The County of Santa Clara is seeking volunteers to help with the 2025 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count of unhoused residents, which provides valuable data to guide local policy decisions regarding homelessness. 

The PIT Count, also known as the Santa Clara County Homeless Census and Survey, will take place on the mornings of Wednesday, Jan. 22, and Thursday, Jan. 23. 

The PIT Count is conducted on behalf of the Santa Clara County Continuum of Care, a group that includes the County, the City of San José, and the other 14 cities in Santa Clara County.

The information gathered during the PIT Count helps guide efforts by the County, other local governments, and community partners to assist homeless individuals and families. Federal and state agencies use the data as well.

“The County and our partners are incredibly grateful for members of the community who volunteer for the PIT Count, performing a valuable public service that helps people in need,” said KJ Kaminski, acting director of the County Office of Supportive Housing. “The PIT Count provides a snapshot of the unhoused population that, along with other tools and data, helps us determine how to allocate resources to reduce homelessness in Santa Clara County and connect unhoused residents with services and housing.”

The count is generally conducted every two years. The most recent count was conducted in January 2023 and found a total of 9,903 homeless individuals in Santa Clara County.

Volunteers are organized into groups and go to various locations throughout the county to observe and interview unhoused residents. Previous experience is not necessary. Each group of three to five volunteers will include experienced team members. Training is available for volunteers.

Volunteers with lived experience of homelessness will receive a $150 gift card each day they participate. 

To sign up, visit santaclara.pointintime.info. If you have questions, email [email protected].

The County and partners are engaged in comprehensive efforts to address the issues of homelessness and affordable housing in Santa Clara County, including the 2020-2025 Community Plan to End Homelessness.

One of the County’s most important initiatives in this area is the $950 million Measure A Affordable Housing Bond, approved by county voters in 2016. The County is well on its way to achieving its goal of creating 4,800 new affordable housing units that will house approximately 17,400 residents. So far, the Board of Supervisors has allocated nearly $700 million in Measure A funding to 56 developments that will create a total of 5,135 new housing units and 689 renovated apartments.

ABOUT THE COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA 
The County of Santa Clara government serves a diverse, multicultural population of 1.9 million residents in Santa Clara County, Calif., making it more populous than 14 states in the United States. The County provides essential services to its residents, including public health protection, environmental stewardship, medical services through the County of Santa Clara Health System, child and adult protection services, homelessness prevention and solutions, roads, park services, libraries, emergency response to disasters, protection of minority communities and those under threat, access to a fair criminal justice system, and many other public benefits.

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