Volunteers needed for Countywide task to tally Homeless

Officials today announced the need for members of faith-based groups, churches, civic affairs organizations, public agencies, student bodies and many others to help with Riverside County's 2025 point-in-time homeless count, slated for later this month.  

"By helping us count homeless individuals throughout the county, we can have a better idea of the type of services they need in the short and long term,'' Riverside County Board of Supervisors Chairman Manuel Perez said. "The count also serves as a guide to better distribute federal funds and access resources."  

The countywide tally is scheduled biennially, and during the January 2023 effort, more than 1,000 people volunteered, seeking out and verifying the status of individuals living in cars, under bridges, in transient encampments, homeless shelters and other locations throughout the county.

The county Continuum of Care manages the annual outings. The entity is composed of representatives from civic groups, nonprofit organizations and government.

The 2023 homeless census confirmed 3,725 people were chronically unsheltered, compared to 3,316 people in the prior count, a 12% increase.   

This year's canvass is slated to take place on Jan. 22.   

No experience with point-in-time counts is necessary to volunteer. Some training is required, and although youths as young as 16 years old can participate, all minors will have to be accompanied by an adult, according to county officials.

Volunteers must also have a smart phone or tablet to conduct the survey and be able to walk up to two hours.   

The data is used by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to determine how to distribute federal homeless relief funding, and by policy makers in determining the scope of homelessness nationwide -- including what is and what is not working.

All those interested in participating were encouraged to register at rivcohws.org/homeless-point-time-pit-count.   

Anyone with questions was encouraged to send email inquiries to RivCoPIT@rivco.org.