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Point-in-Time count

The Point-in-Time (PIT) count is a count of sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January.

collage featuring a calendar for January and a woman sleeping on a bench

Preliminary results for the 2025 Point-In-Time count were released on June 20, 2025. Preliminary results shows:

The total number of people experiencing homelessness in Santa Clara County rose by 8.2% compared to the 2023 PIT count, going from 9,903 to 10,711 people. The number of sheltered individuals rose about 30%, reflecting an increase in shelter capacity and higher utilization of available shelter beds throughout the county. The number of unsheltered individuals remained relatively flat, with an increase of 1%. The full report will be available in late summer/early fall. For additional details, please refer to the press release here.

The PIT count results are consistent with what the County and homelessness experts have observed in recent years: more people are entering homelessness than exiting homelessness in the region. Systemic factors such as the lack of affordable housing supply, wage gaps, and structural inequities all contribute to housing insecurity and homelessness in the Bay Area, including in Santa Clara County. These economic pressures have continued to increase in the years since the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The County of Santa Clara has a comprehensive and data-driven strategy for addressing homelessness known as the Community Plan to End Homelessness, which was developed in close partnership with cities, nonprofit organizations, and people with lived experience.   
 
The Community Plan adopts a multipronged approach that includes financial assistance to help prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless, temporary housing and shelter for those who are unhoused, and permanent housing programs that assist people with obtaining and maintaining stable housing either through a rental subsidy or a permanent supportive housing unit.  
  
The latest Community Plan progress report, covering Jan. 1, 2020, to Dec. 31, 2024, showed the following results:   
 
•    33,193 people received homelessness prevention assistance, including COVID-related financial assistance  
•    More than 23,000 people were supported in temporary housing and shelter  
•    17,485 people obtained stable housing  

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires that Continuums of Care conduct an annual count of people experiencing homelessness who are sheltered in emergency shelter, transitional housing, and Safe Havens on a single night. Continuums of Care also must conduct a count of unsheltered people experiencing homelessness every other year. Each count is planned, coordinated, and carried out locally.

Why does Point-in-Time count matter?

The PIT count is just one source of information about the county’s homeless population. The County maintains a Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) that compiles comprehensive data regarding the clients who use the programs and services designed to help people who are experiencing homelessness. 

Point-in-Time count data are the primary data used for federal funding allocations and national estimates of homelessness. The numbers reported by your community are used by the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness and all federal departments including Housing and Education. 

PIT count numbers are also most often cited by local strategic plans, state, county and city government and the media. 

The 2025 full PIT report will be available in late summer/early fall.