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OVERVIEW OF 2026 PIT COUNT
recommended action
RECOMMENDATION
Informational only.
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Summary
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires that Continuum of Cares (CoCs) conduct a count of unsheltered people experiencing homelessness at least once every two years, and an annual count of people experiencing homelessness who are sheltered in emergency shelter, transitional housing, and Safe Havens. This effort, known as the “Point-in-Time” (PIT) count, provides a single night snapshot of individuals and families staying at emergency/ transitional shelters in the county, as well as unsheltered individuals, such as those sleeping outside, in tents or vehicles, under bridges, or other places not intended for human habitation.
The PIT Count is conducted in January in alignment with HUD requirements outlined in Notice CPD‑14‑012. HUD directs CoCs to conduct the PIT count during the last 10 days of January to ensure national consistency and to capture the period in which shelter utilization is typically highest.
For the unsheltered count, HUD further encourages enumeration during early morning hours when individuals are most likely to remain at their nighttime locations. Conducting the count between approximately 5:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. reduces duplication and increases the likelihood of accurately identifying people experiencing unsheltered homelessness. This standardized timing supports reliable year‑to‑year comparisons and strengthens the validity of local and national homelessness estimates.
A Council Fact Sheet was provided in mid- January to provide an overview of the action, its necessity, historically its development in this region and the procurement and process by which it currently operates (Attachment A).
The 2026 PIT in San Joaquin County count was the eleventh count of unsheltered people experiencing homelessness conducted in San Joaquin County since 2005 and took place on Tuesday, January 27th from 5:00 am to 10:00 am. Applied Research Survey implemented the PIT count. Over 100 volunteers, San Joaquin County Probation (SJCares) staff,and SPD covered 30+ survey tracts. SPD also provided drone coverage in areas less visible or accessible.
Attachment A - Council Fact Sheet