Riverside County Recruits Volunteers for January 20-22, 2027 Homeless Point-in-Time Count
Riverside County's Department of Housing and Workforce Solutions, in Riverside County, California, announced on October 27 that the county is recruiting volunteers for its 2027 homeless Point-in-Time Count. The countywide street count begins at 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday, January 20, 2027, with a service-based count following on January 21 and 22, covering the county's 28 cities and unincorporated communities.
The county says the effort, run under its 'More Than a Count' initiative, is designed not only to tally homelessness but to connect people with housing and services on the spot. The previous count in January 2025 identified 3,990 people experiencing unsheltered homelessness, a 7% increase over 2023, with nearly 1,000 volunteers interviewing people living in vehicles, under bridges, in encampments and in shelters. Board Chair Karen Spiegel said cities are essential partners, with city staff and public safety personnel working alongside volunteers in the field. Housing and Workforce Solutions Director Heidi Marshall said, 'More Than a Count reflects our commitment to making this effort about more than gathering data.' The 2023 count had confirmed 3,725 people; the 2025 figure of 3,990 is a 7% increase over that baseline.
Volunteers work in counting teams of three to five, assisted by law enforcement for safety, interviewing people within an assigned map area so no one is counted twice. There are five requirements: have a smartphone and download the Survey123 app; be able to walk up to two hours while canvassing; attend an online volunteer training; be 18 or older, or 16-17 accompanied by an adult who also registers; and follow the safety precautions in training. Training covers the purpose and method of the count, use of the app, and a dedicated section for Youth Count volunteers.
Registration is online at the Point-in-Time Count page of rivcohws.org. After training, volunteers receive their deployment site, check-in time and team leader by email. The county also welcomes donations of gift cards, cold-weather items such as gloves, beanies and socks, and travel-size hygiene products through the count coordinator or the hotline at (951) 358-3844; people who need housing help can call HomeConnect at 800-498-8847. Count data is used by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to distribute federal homeless assistance funding and by the county to guide housing investment.
Related: Temecula Wins 2026 Helen Putnam Award for Excellence for Family Homelessness-Prevention Program
Related: More Homeless People Near My Home — After 26 Years in America, One Corner of the Country I See
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 河滨市市政厅（资料图）。Josiah.r.white 摄，CC0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Riverside City Hall (file photo). Photo by Josiah.r.white, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
