Thousands Count the Homeless in Alameda County

Every two years, volunteers go to encampments like this one in Hayward to gather critical information on the magnitude of homelessness in our area.

Early last Thursday morning, thousands of volunteers canvassed East Bay neighborhoods, business zones, and known homeless camps to count the number of people experiencing homelessness in Alameda County.

Small teams of outreach specialists, staff from the county, and volunteers looked for individuals and families sleeping outside, in vehicles, in emergency shelters, and in transitional housing. The unhoused were also asked survey questions to help county service agencies spot trends, understand the ongoing affordable housing and services shortage, and adjust as needed.

Alameda County Health Care Services Agency, which includes the Office of Homeless Care and Coordination, conducts the PIT census every two years as required by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). 

“Homelessness is a challenge that touches all of our lives,” said county Health Care Services Agency director Colleen Chawla. “By approaching this situation with empathy and compassion and honoring people’s lived experience, we can make a difference.”

The 2019 Point-In-Time Count (PIT) classified 8,022 people as homeless in Alameda County. The survey was not conducted in 2021 due to COVID-19 considerations. When the PIT returned in 2022, volunteers categorized 9,747 people as homeless. 

This year’s homeless count used a different approach compared to previous years. Volunteers were sent to known locations where people are experiencing homelessness, as well as to a random sample of other areas, to complete surveys with individuals experiencing homelessness. 

Moe Wright, co-chair of the Board of Directors with County’s Continuum of Care (CoC)—a community planning body led by a team of county and city stakeholders committed to ending homelessness—says this is a more accurate method that relies less on statistical assumptions, as in years past. 

“With over a thousand interviewers spreading out all over Alameda County, we can create an accurate profile of our un-housed neighbors. This will help us craft evidence-based solutions to help end homelessness in our community,” Wright said. 

Survey information included questions about demographics, health conditions, employment, veteran status, housing history, COVID-19 impact, and connection to the community. Questions added to this year’s count will ask for details about gender and gender identity. Volunteers will also ask the unhoused about their interactions with the criminal justice system, including law enforcement and the courts. 

Survey data will also be used to examine racial disparities, especially for Black and Native Americans, two of the most disproportionately impacted by homelessness, according to statistics from EveryOne Home, a non-profit aimed at ending homelessness in Alameda County.

A full, detailed analysis of the PIT count results is expected this summer.