For statisticians interested in -volunteering- to help count the homeless in the united states
When you read/see in the media about counts of the homeless, that comes from HUD and the "PIT". PIT is an abbreviation for "point in time" survey.
--------->>>>>CAVEAT EMPTOR, despite the term "survey" this is NOT a survey sample . .
HUD, - Housing and Urban Development , invites volunteers to help count the homeless in the United states on one day or night called "Point in Time" PIT .
PIT is conducted at the county or continuum-of-care "CoC" level
---->>>The 2025 count of the homeless is underway NOW <---------------------------------------------------.
For any statistician interested in volunteering , you should be able to find a PIT website in your county by a google search.
The survey of the -sheltered- homeless is conducted every year., The survey of the both sheltered and un-sheltered homeless is conducted every two years.
search for "point in time count <county/state> <year> " in your county/state
For example several years ago I volunteered for the San Mateo County PIT . SAn Mateo is a county about midway between San Francisco and Palo Alto. Currently I live in the city of Napa, in Napa County. Due to geography, and a mere 20 minute drive, i have a choice between volunteering for the PIT in either Napa or Sonoma County,.
I searched "sonoma county point in time survey homeless 2025 " and found the website signed up for the Sonoma PIT and the website here:
https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/health-and-human-services/health-services/divisions/homelessness-services/what-we-know-about-homelessness/homeless-count
The Sonoma County PIT is January 31 2025 from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
The GAO has reviewed the PIT and noted that the methodology for the PIT is not standard. the GAO report
https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-20-433-highlights.pdf
And read the website carefully as to how the count is conducted. when i volunteered in San Mateo the count was at best qualitative because for safety reasons volunteers were asked -not- to attempt to speak directly with the homeless.
There are some known methodological issues in the accuracy of the PIT.
For an overview of the homeless count this WAPO article gives an excellent description (this is behind a paywall)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/08/24/homeless-seattle-hud-statistics/
I have a WAPO subscription and a cut and paste from the article
Some of the most pointed criticism about HUD's methodology comes from a 2021 review by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, which knocked the department for not providing local entities with examples of how to properly use data to supplement the PIT count. A 2020 GAO report found HUD does not "closely examine" the methodologies local entities are using to produce their counts, leading to confusion and inconsistencies between various agencies and general "questions about data accuracy."
A much more extensive description of counting the homeless here
http://nap.edu/1092
----------Finally, I am very interested in hearing from anyone who has previously volunteered or will be volunteering for the homeless count. -------
Please contact me through the ASA website or at chris.barker@barkerstats.com
thank you
-Chris
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Chris Barker, Ph.D.
Past Chair
Statistical Consulting Section
Consultant and
Adjunct Associate Professor of Biostatistics
www.barkerstats.com---
"In composition you have all the time you want to decide what to say in 15 seconds, in improvisation you have 15 seconds."
-Steve Lacy
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