2018 Point-in-Time Count
February 16, 2018
The image to the right is just one of 31 maps used to canvas the Greater New Haven area during the 2018 Point-in-Time Count of those experiencing homelessness.
The evening of January 23rd was an unseasonably warm, damp evening in Connecticut, and was the night of the annual Point-In-Time (PIT) Count. Mandated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the PIT is an annual census of those experiencing homelessness conducted across the country. The Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness is the lead agency in the state, and Columbus House, along with The Connection, co-chaired the Greater New Haven count. The resulting PIT data is crucial to secure the funding needed to house and help maintain stable housing for those we serve.
Volunteers spread out across the state, with the aid of homeless service provider staff, searching areas where people have been known to, or could potentially be living: outdoors, in abandoned buildings, or places unfit for human habitation.
People found with nowhere to sleep are interviewed with a standardized questionnaire - this year powered by a smartphone application - and offered services. Counts of those staying in shelters and other transitional housing programs are also conducted on the same night.
Some news sources have already predicted numbers for a few areas in Connecticut, and the results are mixed. It is impossible to know true outcomes until all of the data is tallied and released, sometime in May. Last year, Connecticut saw a 13% decrease in the number of people experiencing homelessness as compared to the count in 2016. For now, as we wait for the official 2018 numbers to come in, we will continue our important work to find people homes.
Watch a video about the Point-in-Time count
Read more about the Point-in-Time count in the
Learn more about the Point-in-Time count on the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness's website
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