Experts Say the Primary Method for Counting Homelessness Is Outdated, Flawed, And Misaligned with Today’s Housing Crisis
The most popular way of measuring homelessness across the U.S. appears to have run its course, according to experts.
Every year, cities across the U.S. conduct a survey called the Point-in-Time Count to measure the scale of homelessness locally. The survey was developed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development in 2007 to measure the number of people living unsheltered, in emergency shelters, transitional housing, or other supportive housing buildings. The survey is conducted in late January by volunteers who work with local Continuums of Care, and the federal government uses the data to inform federal funding decisions.
Critics Say the Point-in-Time Count Methodology Fails to Measure Modern Homelessness
Experts have been speaking out against the survey since its inception because of its poor methodology. While there have been several attempts to improve data collection, some experts say it is time to develop a new, more accurate way to measure homelessness in the U.S.
Former Rockford, Illinois, Mayor Larry Morrissey recently said on the Invisible People podcast that the PIT count has become “mostly useless.”
“It was a photo-op,” Morrissey said about the survey. “It makes it look like you’re doing something when you’re actually not.”
Homelessness in the U.S. has changed dramatically over the last several decades, but the ways communities measure the scale of the issue have been much slower to change. Across the U.S., more than 771,000 people experienced homelessness in 2024, which represented an 18% increase over 2023, according to the PIT Count.
One of the main changes regards who experiences homelessness in the U.S. Sick, mentally ill, and unemployed individuals have always been at the greatest risk of experiencing homelessness. But today, there is a growing number of senior citizens and families with children experiencing homelessness in the U.S. These two groups are difficult for the PIT Count to accurately measure because they will frequently double-up with friends or family to avoid sleeping in shelters or in encampments.
How Criminalization of Homelessness Skews PIT Count Data
The growing criminalization of homelessness has also changed how many people experience homelessness, in ways that make it more difficult for the PIT Count to accurately measure. Since the Supreme Court’s 2024 ruling in Grants Pass v. Johnson, more than 300 cities have enacted new laws restricting acts commonly associated with homelessness, such as sitting, eating, or building temporary shelter in public.
Research has shown that criminalizing homelessness also makes it more difficult to count how many people are homeless in a certain area. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, criminalization makes it more difficult for people who are homeless to get into services or housing. It also makes it more likely that people experiencing homelessness will hide from public view to avoid being fined or arrested, which makes it more difficult for PIT Count volunteers to get an accurate snapshot of local homelessness.
Criminalization also disrupts the relationships that people experiencing homelessness need to build to exit homelessness. Social workers are rarely involved in operations to displace homeless encampments, which hinders the ability of people experiencing homelessness to connect with services. It also makes it more difficult for service providers to maintain contact with the people they are trying to help.
By Name Lists and the Limits of Real-Time Homelessness Data
Christopher Calton, a research fellow at the Independent Institute, wrote in a recent blog post that the seasonality of the PIT Count also undermines its purpose. For instance, he argued that conducting the survey in January skews the public perception of homelessness.
“Unsheltered homelessness is a particularly important category in the data because it most relates to public perception,” Calton wrote. “It overwhelmingly comprises the images we see on the news and encounter on city streets.”
Some jurisdictions have attempted to replace the PIT Count with a supposedly more dynamic way of counting unhoused people, known as a By Name List. These lists are an attempt to create a comprehensive look at the people experiencing homelessness and the resources they need in real time.
Iain De Jong, CEO of OrgCode, argued in a recent Substack essay that the By Name List began with the right intentions, but has morphed into a “cumbersome, resource-intensive, and misaligned way of using data that too often absorbs energy without advancing solutions.”
By Name Lists make three important promises, according to De Jong. First, they honor people experiencing homelessness by referring to them by name rather than a case number. They can also improve service coordination and narrow the aims of helping people exit homelessness. However, the list has turned into another version of a service waiting list in many communities, he argued.
“Let me be blunt and put this another way: the By Name List was supposed to be a coordination tool to help accelerate exits from homelessness, but has been transformed into an inventory of human beings,” De Jong wrote. “It saddens me that the inventory mentality means the By Name Lists have just become another instrument to warehouse pain without compelling action.”
Instead of creating lists that categorize people by their housing status and resource needs, DeJong argues that local data needs to be designed around “flow.” That means it should act more as a thermometer for homelessness, one that includes other throughputs like housing supply, rental assistance, and discharge planning.
“If we are serious about reducing homelessness, we must frequently and repeatedly ask whether our tools are advancing exits or simply organizing stagnation. Comfort, routine, and symbolism are not measures of success,” De Jong wrote.
Why Homelessness Data Reform Is Essential for Effective Housing Policy
The pandemic forced us to rethink housing in the U.S. and made one thing clear: targeted aid programs work. When service agencies had enough funding and clear guidance, they kept countless individuals, families, and unaccompanied youths housed during the crisis. This success highlights the urgent need for similar long-term solutions.
You can help break the cycle of homelessness by calling on lawmakers to expand and sustain these vital support systems. Urge them to support policies that:
- Accurately measure the scope of homelessness
- Provide pathways to connect people experiencing homelessness with housing and services
- Strengthen community ties to support vulnerable people
These initiatives will ensure that unhoused people don’t just survive but thrive, giving them the resources they need to rebuild their futures.
Contact your representatives today and advocate for policies prioritizing the needs of people who are homeless. Ending homelessness is the key to a brighter future for millions of people—and you can be part of the solution.