Volunteers Needed for Critical 2026 Homeless Count in Los Angeles

The 2026 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count is set to begin on the evening of January 24, and volunteers are urgently needed to assist in this vital initiative. This three-day event aims to identify and count individuals experiencing homelessness across the city, providing crucial data necessary for addressing the ongoing crisis affecting Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) is organizing the count in compliance with a mandate from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Each year, cities across the United States are required to conduct a Point-In-Time Homeless Count within the last ten days of January. The Los Angeles effort involves volunteers searching for and counting individuals living in vehicles and tents, as well as those residing outdoors.

The counts are conducted at night to ensure accuracy, as volunteers can encounter individuals who are more mobile during daylight hours, which could lead to duplicate counts. According to Darick Blackshere of LAHSA, “We’re going to get them all trained, we will hand each of them a census track, and they will go to their assigned area to find everybody experiencing homelessness in that area.” Volunteers will use an app to record their observations, allowing for real-time data collection.

The scale of homelessness in Los Angeles presents unique challenges. As Paul Rubenstein from LAHSA highlighted, “The scale of unsheltered homelessness in LA is unlike anything anywhere.” He noted that while cities like New York can draw on extensive shelter databases, a significant portion of Los Angeles’s homeless population is unsheltered and living outdoors.

In addition to the volunteer count, a specially trained team from the University of Southern California (USC) will conduct extended outreach over several months. This team will engage directly with individuals in RVs and tents to gather information about their demographics and living conditions. “That’s how we find out things like who is out there—demographics, characteristics,” Rubenstein explained. “On the night of the count, we don’t ask volunteers to look inside.”

The importance of this comprehensive effort is underscored by previous criticisms of LAHSA’s counting methodology. Earlier this year, researchers from RAND Corporation scrutinized last year’s count, suggesting that it may have underreported the number of individuals experiencing homelessness in the area. Both LAHSA and RAND have noted a slight decline in homelessness, yet the need for accurate data remains paramount.

The ongoing crisis has far-reaching implications for the community, and volunteers are essential in helping to formulate effective solutions. Rubenstein emphasized the critical role that volunteers play, stating, “The volunteer force is necessary and plays a crucial role in helping determine critical solutions to LA’s ongoing homelessness crisis.”

Those interested in volunteering for the 2026 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count can find more information through LAHSA’s official channels. The success of this initiative not only impacts the city’s policy-making but also affects the lives of countless individuals experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles.