Once every two years, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) commissions a Point in Time (PIT) count of persons who are living on the streets and in shelters in each county of our country. The last Orange County PIT count was taken on January 24, 2015. On that night, the volunteers counted 4,452 individuals who were homeless.
The PIT count is an important, federally mandated effort to calculate our homeless population. The data gathered from the survey is used by HUD as a statistical map to determine allocation of resources and the amount of funding and grant awards to be given to agencies and organizations serving the homeless. Based on the 2015 PIT count, HUD awarded $1.95 billion in grants to nearly 7,600 homeless assistance programs across our nation. In fiscal year 2016, California received $352,946,617 and Orange County and local nonprofits received $22,354,847.
Once again, it is time to take the PIT count. It is scheduled for January 28, 2017. If you would like to be involved in this year’s count, many Orange County schools and local church groups will be participating and they welcome your involvement and support. Volunteers must be at least 16 years of age and minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
To learn more, visit 2-1-1 Orange County at:
