SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Volunteers across San Diego County fanned out in the early morning hours on Wednesday to conduct the annual Point-in-Time Count. This crucial survey helps secure vital state and federal funding for homeless services.
I joined dozens of volunteers who gathered at the YMCA in City Heights at 4 a.m. to participate in the yearly effort to count the county's unhoused population.
"I'm really excited to be here. I think that what we're doing out here really matters," said first-time volunteer Paige Hifnter.
The massive undertaking requires 1,700 people to count everyone across all cities and unincorporated areas in just a few hours. Volunteers comb through alleys, canyon lands, and residential neighborhoods to ensure no one goes uncounted.
In 2025, the county recorded just under 10,000 people experiencing homelessness, representing a 7% drop from 2024. Ahead of this new count, the Regional Task Force on Homelessness reported that more people found housing than entered homelessness last month.
"One of those glimmers of hope is in our veteran population. We've seen a significant decrease, and we think that that's due in a huge part to the amount of resources that have been poured into serving our homeless vets," said a task force representative.
San Diego City Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera walked alongside volunteers during the count. Amid another multimillion-dollar budget deficit, he said the city plans to shift focus toward prevention efforts.
"When somebody hits the streets, getting them redirected into housing as quickly as possible because we know that the longer that they stay on the streets or in shelter, the more difficult it can be to get back on their feet," Elo-Rivera said.
The results are expected to be released this spring.
"I'm really glad that we can come out here and really change that story for them," Hifnter said.
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