What is a point in time count?

San Diego’s next point in time count will occur on the 29th. But what is this annual event dubbed a Point in Time Count, and what purpose does the count serve? In this blog, we will break down the orgins of the count, what the count entails, and what the count’s results can mean for San Diego’s homeless crisis.

What is a point in time count?

A point in time count is the most accurate way to determine the homeless population in a given area. Volunteers on the given day will simply go out and count every person that they find on the streets. San Diego’s point in time count is opperated by the Regional Task Force on Homelessness, in which they have broken up San Diego into 5 regions-City of San Diego, North County Inland, North County Coastal, South County, and East County-to then combine all the data at the end to get there number. They are also working with local shelters to get the sheltered population aswell, which makes up a third of all homeless.

What does it mean?

As the best measurment of the homeless population in San Diego, the Point In Time count allows for an accurate sense of the homeless population to be created. This can then be compared to past years, given an overall trend for homelessness. For example, thanks to the point in time count, homelessness is down 9% in 2025 since the count in 2024. With data like this, organizations can prove their effectiveness, get more funding, and ultimately pursuade the public that San Diego’s homelessness crisis is in fact solvable with numbers to prove it. Volunteer positions are also still open for those who want to be apart of this important data measurement.