Riverside County is recruiting more than 700 volunteers for its 2027 Homeless Point-in-Time Count, the county said Oct. 27. The street count is Jan. 20, followed by service-based counts Jan. 21 and 22, according to the Department of Housing and Workforce Solutions. Bilingual volunteers are especially encouraged to sign up.
The annual count, part of a nationwide U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development effort, gives a one-day snapshot of adults and youth experiencing homelessness. The county's Department of Housing and Workforce Solutions Office of Homeless Services coordinates it with the Riverside County Continuum of Care, all 28 cities in the county, community groups and service providers.
The last unsheltered count, in January 2025, found 3,990 people experiencing homelessness in the county: 2,012 in shelters and 1,978 unsheltered. The total was up 7% from 2023, but unsheltered homelessness fell 19% as shelter capacity grew, the county reported in May 2025. The county now counts unsheltered residents every other year and sheltered residents every year.
On count day, teams of volunteers, county and city staff and public safety partners will talk with people experiencing homelessness, including in known encampment areas. The county uses the data to understand needs, guide spending and shape its response.
The county will again run its More Than a Count initiative, which offers veterans, families, youth and seniors same-day housing opportunities and supportive services during the count.
“More Than a Count reflects our commitment to making this effort about more than gathering data,” said Heidi Marshall, director of Housing and Workforce Solutions.
Board Chair thanked the county's cities, saying the effort “reflects a shared commitment to understanding the needs of our residents and connecting people with resources.”
Volunteers can register and choose where they want to serve at rivcohws.org/homeless-point-time-pit-count. People experiencing homelessness in Riverside County can reach HomeConnect, the county's homeless services hotline, at 800-498-8847 or homeconnect@ruhealth.org.
Local
Karen Spiegel
Supervisor, Second District, Riverside County Board of Supervisors
Named once in this story.
Portrait: County of Riverside / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
Sources & methodology
This report was written from the primary materials below. Links open at the original publisher.
County of Riverside County of Riverside (May 15, 2025 PIT results) Riverside County Housing and Workforce SolutionsSee something we should correct? Read our corrections policy.