January 21, 2026 - Volunteers needed to help track homelessness across Utah

SALT LAKE CITY (Jan. 21, 2026) - The statewide annual count of Utahns experiencing homelessness will happen Jan. 29 to Jan. 31. Volunteers are needed statewide to survey people in the early mornings of Jan. 29, 30 and 31 about where they slept on Jan. 28.

"This is a critical tool to capture an in-depth look at homelessness statewide," said Nick Coleman, interim state homeless coordinator. "Our goal is to get the most accurate count possible, and we rely heavily on the support of our volunteers across the state to make that possible."

The Point-in-Time Count (PIT) provides a deeper understanding of how many individuals and families in Utah are experiencing unsheltered homelessness, which includes living on the streets or in cars, RVs or other places not meant for human habitation. The information gathered will help policymakers set benchmarks to measure progress toward ending homelessness and help plan services and programs to appropriately address local needs.

Volunteers are needed in all areas of the state to work in teams to seek out and interview those who are unsheltered. Virtual training will be held in advance and will cover the use of the survey app, best practices for approaching and interviewing those experiencing homelessness, youth homelessness, racial equity in PIT, a trauma-informed approach to PIT, and other necessary info to prepare volunteers for a successful experience.

On the mornings of Thursday, Friday and Saturday, volunteer teams will thoroughly explore an assigned geographic area to connect with those experiencing homelessness. Volunteers may sign up for one day, but are strongly encouraged to participate for all three days if possible.

Each area of Utah may conduct counts differently. Learn more about the Point-in-Time Count in your area and sign up to volunteer at endutahhomelessness.org/salt- lake-valley/salt-lake-county- pit-count/.

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About Utah's Office of Homeless Services: The Utah Office of Homeless Services strives to work together with communities to make homelessness in Utah rare, brief and non-recurring by providing statewide support of project services, interventions and system performance measures and reporting.