2017 Point In Time (PIT) Count

HUD’s Point-in-Time (PIT) count provides a one-night estimate of both sheltered and unsheltered homelessness, including estimates of the number of people experiencing chronic homelessness, as well as homelessness among individuals, Veterans, families with children, and youth. PIT counts are a critical source of data on the number and characteristics of people who are homeless in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as well as the United States on a single night in January.

The data gathered from the PIT count is included in the Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) and is used by Congress, HUD, other federal departments, and the general public to understand the nature and extent of homelessness.

Data gathered and making progress on reducing homelessness are scoring factors in HUD’s CoC Program Competition and can influence funding awards.

Why We Count :

  • To better understand homelessness in our community in order for individuals to receive the services they need to get help and into permanent housing
  • To determine the congressional homeless funding the County receives
  • To comply with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) requirements for Continuums of Care

The 2017 PIT count will occur throughout both balance of state continuums and throughout the nation during the evening of January 25, 2017.

2017 Point In Time Data Results

Eastern PA CoC
Western PA CoC

PIT Count Resources

Notice CPD-16-060: 2017 HIC and PIT Data Collection for CoC and ESG Programs

This Notice provides information to the Pennsylvania Balance of State Continuums of Care (CoCs) on what information to collect in order to successfully complete their 2016 Housing Inventory Count (HIC) and Point-in-Time (PIT) count. As CoCs begin to organize and plan these activities, staff should review this guidance and use it as a reference to ensure that they are capturing all of the required information.

Training and Forms

PIT Count Webinar

The 2017 PIT Count webinar was held on November 21, 2016 and covered:

  • review of changes for 2017
  • basic information about the sheltered PIT count
  • review of the standards/methodology for the unsheltered PIT count
  • tips for conducting a successful youth count
  • training on engaging victims of domestic violence during the PIT count

Counting Youth in the 2017 PIT Count Webinar

The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness hosted a webinar on November 21, 2016 on Counting Youth in the 2017 Point-in-Time Count  

To help communities prepare for the 2017 PIT count, we are hosting a webinar on promising practices for counting youth, including information on recently published federal resources, early lessons learned from the national Voices of Youth Count initiative led by Chapin Hall, highlights from a local youth count, and recommendations on integrating efforts to count youth as part of the broader PIT count.

Read More