Annual point in time count helps homeless in Pima County

TUCSON, Ariz. — The annual point in time count kicks off Wednesday to help tackle the issue of homelessness in Pima County.

More than 300 volunteers will be gathering at 50 different sectors to track the number of people both sheltered and living on the streets. This count is required by the United States Department of Urban and Housing Development for every community in the country.

This happens every year in the last ten days of January.

In 2019, the Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness reported 361 adults were unsheltered and 1,009 were experiencing homelessness.

Chair of the Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness said this showed a decrease in Pima Count, but the count only shows one day of of the year.

"We understand that it is a snapshot, so it may not be giving us a full picture of what is happening in our community, but it does give us some good information about what people who are experiencing homelessness are facing," Powell said.

Powell said volunteers are able to speak with individuals living on the streets one on one, which gives her organization a better understanding on how to help end homelessness all together.