The Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) has announced that Austin/Travis County’s biannual Point in Time (PIT) Count will occur on the night of January 25, 2025. The announcement marks the beginning of a campaign to recruit at least 1,200 volunteers for the one-night survey aimed at understanding homelessness in the area.
Volunteers interested in participating can sign up now to join the volunteer mailing list. ECHO will provide further details such as start time, section maps, and formal registration forms as they are finalized. Signing up early ensures that community members receive all necessary information to participate effectively.
The volunteer sign-up form is available at austinecho.org/pitcount, where updates will also be posted. Corporate or other volunteer groups are encouraged to register early so that ECHO can offer additional support if needed.
In 2023, over 700 volunteers participated in the last in-person PIT Count, distributing thousands of care kits containing essentials like socks, hygiene items, and snacks. While not an exact census of those experiencing homelessness, the survey results help guide changes in the Homelessness Response System (HRS) and highlight policy impacts.
Communities receiving funds from the federal Continuum of Care (CoC) Program must conduct a PIT Count of unsheltered individuals every two years and a count of sheltered individuals annually using administrative data. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides tools and guidelines for conducting these counts but allows communities flexibility in their approach. As the CoC Lead Agency for Austin/Travis County, ECHO coordinates this effort.
Data collected during the PIT Count is submitted to HUD and included in the Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR), which is presented to Congress each year to inform policy and funding decisions.
For more information about HUD's guidelines or to read past reports, visit HUD’s website.