Each year, cities across the nation undertake a massive effort to physically count their unhoused residents.

An audio segment from KQED by Sydney Johnson describes how San Francisco city workers and volunteers conduct the annual Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, which aims to accurately count the number of people living unhoused in the city.
Workers in the story describe the challenges of identifying people who live in vehicles and other hard-to-find areas, as well as people who are semi-housed or live on and off with friends or family. According to the piece, getting an accurate count is particularly difficult in many parts of California because a larger percentage of the state’s homeless population is unsheltered.
The Point-in-Time Count is an annual nationwide effort conducted each January. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) gathers the data into a comprehensive report. In 2023, the report revealed that homelessness increased by 12 percent.
FULL STORY: How San Francisco Counts Unhoused Residents

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

Texas Bills Could Push More People Into Homelessness
A proposal to speed up the eviction process and a bill that would accelerate enforcement of an existing camping ban could make the state’s homelessness crisis worse, advocates say.

USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure
If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.

Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.
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