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Advocate
CFTH works every day to shift our community from managing homelessness to solving it. Find out how you can be a part of the solution:
Visit our
Local Data and Research ,
FAQ , and
Homelessness 101 pages to learn more about homelessness in the Houston region and stay informed on the latest data and trends.
Donate
CFTH believes that homelessness is solvable. When you donate to CFTH you can be sure that your support will have a direct, positive impact on solving homelessness in Harris, Fort Bend, and Montgomery counties.
For every $1 you donate to CFTH, we bring an additional $91 in public funding into the community to implement nationally-recognized programs with a proven success rate.
CFTH plays a key role in convening more than 100 partners, facilitating collaboration to ensure we are working together effectively and efficiently, and braiding together multiple complex funding streams to the tune of $55 million in the past year alone.
Since 2012, homelessness has decreased by over 63% and more than 32,000 people have been housed. At the two-year mark, 90% of these individuals are either still in their housing program, or they've had a positive exit.
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Volunteer
Homeless Count
Get ready for the 2025 Annual Point-In-Time (PIT) Count!
Join us for the annual Point-In-Time (PIT) Count, a critical HUD-mandated census that provides a one-night snapshot of homelessness in our community and supports the Continuum of Care (CoC) funding process. This funding brought over $59 million to our area in 2023 to support permanent housing, services, and planning efforts.
Please be on the lookout for additional information regarding the 2025 PIT Count. This webpage will be updated as new information becomes available. Thank you!
About the Point-in-Time Count ("PIT Count")
The annual Point-in-Time Count (“PIT Count”) is a survey of those experiencing homelessness within CoCs throughout the United States on behalf of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The PIT Count covers those living in Emergency Shelters, Transitional Housing, and Safe Havens1 (i.e., those homeless but in sheltered conditions) and those sleeping in places not meant for human habitation (i.e., those unsheltered).
Results from the PIT Count are used to determine trends in the number of people experiencing homelessness and, when possible, estimate the number of persons in specific categories such as youth, those fleeing domestic violence, and Veterans as well as conditions such as substance use disorder, HIV, or serious mental illness.
The PIT Count must take place during one night in the last ten calendar days of January. However, The Way Home has received permission from HUD to conduct the unsheltered portion of the PIT Count over a three-day period, given the large geographical size of the area.
The Coalition for the Homeless (CFTH), a 501c3, coordinates the annual “PIT Count” on behalf of the local homeless response system, The Way Home. This annual count and survey helps to identify homelessness trends over time and gives insight into the effectiveness of our community’s housing programs and homeless services.
PIT Count Training Information
Training Updates:
- 2025 PIT Count training sessions have concluded. Full attendance at training sessions was mandatory for participation eligibility.
- Volunteer Presentation: Click here to view.
- Outreach Staff Presentation: Click here to view.
Mandatory Housing Inventory Count (HIC) Training:
- All agencies with housing projects must participate in the upcoming HIC training.
- Tuesday, January 14, 2025, from 1:00 - 3:00 PM
- Thursday, January 23, 2025, from 1:00 - 3:00 PM
Participation in the PIT Count requires mandatory training, which will:
- Provide an overview of the count and its importance,
- Explain how the count is conducted, including tools and our CoC's methodology,
- Offer clear guidance on roles and responsibilities,
- Share key do's and don'ts for conducting the count effectively and respectfully, and
- Ensure completion of training is documented.
Mandatory PIT Count Training Opportunities (Non-Outreach Participants):
- Tuesday, December 17, 2024, at 12:00 PM
- Wednesday, December 18, 2024, at 2:00 PM
- Tuesday, January 7, 2025, at 10:00 AM
- Wednesday, January 8, 2025, at 3:00 PM
- LAST CALL: Wednesday, January 15, 2025, at 3:00 PM
Mandatory Outreach-Specific PIT Count Training Opportunities:
- Thursday, January 9, 2025, at 3:00 PM
- Tuesday, January 14, 2025, at 1:00 PM
Optional TA Session: Participate in this PIT Count TA session to review information or get assistance with the Counting Us app.
- Friday, January 17th at 10 AM
Note: Volunteer registration (which is separate from training registration) for the Count is also mandatory and should be completed by each volunteer independently after PIT Count training has been completed. Click the "Participation Requirements" to learn more.
Participation Requirements
Agency Requirements:
- CoC/YHDP NOFO-funded Agencies: Required to assign two (2) volunteers for at least two (2) days of the count.
- System Outreach Agencies: Required to assign at least two (2) volunteers each day of the count (3 days).
- Agencies not funded by the CoC/YHDP NOFO: Required to allocate at least two (2) volunteers for at least one (1) day of the count.
Volunteer Registration:
- Volunteer registration has closed. Volunteers may update their registration status; however, no new registrations will be accepted.
- Eligible Participants: Those who completed all steps will receive an email confirming their eligibility by the end of the day on 01/21/2025. Additional details (e.g., team assignments and region details) will follow later this week.
- Ineligible Participants: Those who missed any step (training or registration) will receive an email notifying them of ineligibility on 01/21/2025.
Counting Us Mobile App:
The Counting Us mobile app is the software used to efficiently collect data for the Point-in-Time Count
- Download through Google Play
- Download through Apple Store
- As/after you've completed training and volunteer registration, you can then complete or update registration on the Counting Us mobile app. More information on this process is provided in the mandatory PIT Count training.
Volunteer Requirements:
- Each volunteer must participate in the 2025 PIT Count Training – regardless of experience within prior PIT Counts – and register with their agency name and email (as applicable) to be accounted for.
- Each volunteer must independently register as a 2025 PIT Count volunteer after training has been completed. Note: Volunteer registration is separate from training registration.
- Each volunteer must download and complete (or update) registration on the Counting Us mobile app
- Timely and active participation in all daily check-ins
- Thorough activity within their assigned region
T-Shirts & Team Assignments
PIT Count T-Shirts:
- Eligible participants are eligible to receive a new PIT Count t-shirt as a symbol of support.
- (Dates Changed) T-Shirt Distribution: Friday, January 24, & Monday, January 27, from 10 AM to 3 PM
- Location: CFTH Office | 2000 Crawford Street, 15th Floor, Houston, TX 77002
Team & Region Assignments:
Thank you for your patience as we finalize team and region assignments! We kindly ask that you refrain from sending follow-up emails or calls, as our team is diligently reviewing and responding to the influx of messages regarding participation. Rest assured, we will address all inquiries in due time and appreciate your understanding during this busy period. Contacts remain TWHPIT@cfth.houston.org, Caybryn Southern, and Renee Cavazos.
