Marin County launched its biennial point-in-time count Wednesday, a countywide effort to measure the scope and characteristics of homelessness on a single day.
Required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the count is conducted every other year nationwide. In Marin, the count is done by trained volunteers, county staff and is led by Continuum of Care, a local planning body and coalition of government agencies, service providers, and community partners.
Small teams were deployed throughout the county to observe and document individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness. Volunteers focus solely on data collection, not outreach and services, to ensure accuracy, consistency and safety.
“The point-in-time count is a critical tool for understanding homelessness in Marin County,” said Gary Naja-Riese, Marin Health and Human Services’ director of homelessness & coordinated care. “The data collected helps guide funding decisions, improve services, and inform long-term strategies to reduce homelessness in our community.”
Data analysis will take several months, with results expected this spring, followed by a comprehensive analytics report.