Nearly 600 volunteers survey Austin's homeless population
The Brief
Nearly 600 volunteers participated in Sunday's count of the homeless population in Austin and Travis County.
Volunteers visiting shelters, camps and those living in cars and abandoned buildings to collect demographic information.
The results are used by the federal government to aid policy and funding decisions.
AUSTIN, Texas - Nearly 600 volunteers woke up early Sunday morning to take part in the Point-in-Time Count.
The event involves volunteers conducting surveys with homeless people throughout Travis County.
Hundreds of volunteers braved the rainy weather early Sunday morning, around 3 a.m., to help find as many homeless people as possible.
"I drive past those streets every day. And I didn't realize that just five feet behind that brush line and behind those trees. There are campsites, there's people living there. And you don't, you don't realize it and see it," volunteer, Marl Littlefield said.
The Point-in-Time Count takes place every other year.
It's a one-night survey designed to identify homeless people living in Austin and Travis County—like those living in cars, tents, or abandoned buildings.
"We're going to wake them up and we're going to ask them questions about their experience, how they ended up here, what's happened to them, if they've ever sought assistance. And if we can get into services after that," Littlefield said.
The Ending Community Homelessness Coalition or ECHO organizes the federally mandated count.
As the lead agency for the Austin/Travis County Continuum of Care, ECHO is responsible for planning and implementing community-wide strategies to end homelessness.
What they're saying
"The Point in Time Count is our opportunity to have a better understanding of the scale of the crisis of homelessness for our community. So, this is data that we're able to utilize to help us understand what resources are needed, what programs need funding, and then go out and actually advocate for those things down the road," Angela de Leon, Director of Operations at ECHO, said.
Mark Littlefield has volunteered to take part in the count for several years.
He says that over time, he realized he had never truly taken the opportunity to connect with the homeless people in his community.
"I thought that I might do this one time. I thought I might volunteer for this one year. One time. And now it's been over ten years. And. And it has. And it changed the way that I interact and feel about this issue ever since," Littlefield said.
The goal of the count is to capture a snapshot of the demographics of homeless people on a single night in Austin and Travis County.
By the numbers
In 2023's PIT count, ECHO says, 2,374 homeless people were accounted for.
Out of that number, 1,108 homeless people were in shelters and 1,266 were unhoused.
"Anyone that's in a shelter will also get counted. But these folks that are here tonight are going to be doing the unsheltered count," de Leon said.
What's next
After the work on the ground is completed, the Point in Time Count is compiled into a report by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to determine how much federal funding Austin Travis County Continuum of Care will receive in its next budget.
The findings from the count are typically released in the springtime.
The Source
Information in this articles comes from FOX 7 interviews.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Survey found seven homeless people in QC
It may surprise some Queen Creek residents that homeless people have been found in town. But on Jan. 27, Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) volunteers interviewed seven unsheltered people in the town during their annual Point In Time (PIT) survey, although it provided no details about them. Whether they were the same seven PIT survey volunteers found last year is unknown, but what is known is that they didn't live in a shelter because Queen Creek has none. 'There is not a shelter in the Town of Queen Creek. Based on the map provided by MAG, one individual was generally located near Ocotillo and Ironwood, and six individuals were generally located near Ocotillo and Ellsworth. MAG does not collect specific identifying information, so we are unable to confirm if they are the same unsheltered seven individuals noted in the 2024 PIT count,' said Constance Halonen-Wilson, the town's communications and marketing manager. One thing is for certain: Queen Creek's homeless population bucked a county-wide trend in this year's PIT count, which showed the number of people either living on the street or in a shelter increased by 3% this year over last. And the town's homeless population is miniscule, exceeding only a handful of the 25 cities and towns included in the PIT survey, along with unimported parts of Maricopa County. And Queen Creek's homeless population is not even close to that of Phoenix, which saw a year-over-year increase of 1,000 for a total 3,781 this year. In all, the PIT survey found 9,734 people experiencing homelessness in the county that day, with 53% living on the street. The total – a 3% year-over-year increase –included 539 families across the county 12% more than were found six years ago. The PIT count offers a mere snapshot of people in Maricopa County without a permanent home and 'there are more people who experience homelessness over the course of a year than on any given night,' according to the Maricopa Association of Governments, which organizes it. Based on interviews in a one-day census in January, officials drew up this demographic overview of the homeless population. But that snapshot provides 'an important source of data' and 'helps to inform communities on the number of people who access emergency shelters or transitional housing, as well as those who are sleeping in places not meant for habitation,' it says. Comparing what it found in 2019, the PIT census this year saw a slight increase in the number of people 18-24 years old without a home (555), a 3% decrease in veterans (462) and a 109% increase in chronically homeless people. Volunteers counted 1,208 mentally ill people, 1,294 addicts and alcoholics and 626 victims of domestic violence among the homeless people they interviewed. Officials estimated that the number of street people increased countywide by 28% this year over 2024 while there was a 16% decrease in the number who were living in shelters. In a deep dive into the demographics of this year's PIT count, MAG reported that 37% were white, 24% Hispanic and 27% Black while 64% were males. The largest age group from the count comprised adults 35-44, accounting for 23% of the 2025 PIT population, followed by adults 25-34 accounting for 20%. Children up to 17 years old made up 12% of the total population interviewed by PIT volunteers, while those 18 to 24 comprised 7% and those over 65 made up 6%. Officials attributed the overall increase in homelessness in the county represented in the PIT count as well as the increase in the number living on the street to the disappearance of federal pandemic funds. Since the federal government began doling out hundreds of millions of dollars to states, counties and municipalities from 2020 to 2023, Phoenix and other cities used as that money as a major funding source for shelter and homeless services operations. Now, those cities and towns are using other revenue sources to help. No other municipality comes close to the cost Phoenix bears, which is around $26 million. Ashley Patton, deputy communications director for Phoenix, said, '2024 was a banner year for shelter capacity in Maricopa County, where more beds were available than ever before. 'Unfortunately, between 2024 and 2025, the Maricopa County homeless services system lost more than 1,000 shelter beds which relied on temporary funding sources.' 'Homelessness is complex and requires regional support and coordination,' she added. 'We need federal, state and municipal partners to join us in investing in this critical need.'
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
Area county reports decrease in homelessness over the past year
In the past year, Montgomery County's homeless population has decreased by seven percent, according to the 2025 Point-In-Time Count. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The count reveals the progress that the county has made, and the persistent challenges associated with trying to end homelessness. 'One person sleeping unsheltered is one too many,' said Commission President Judy Dodge. 'Everyone deserves the dignity of a safe, affordable place to live. We remain committed to addressing homelessness with urgency, compassion and strategic action.' TRENDING STORIES: Local nature preserve announces emergency partial closure due to storm damage Runaway pet zebra captured days after 'wreaking havoc' on busy interstate New restaurant to open at former bar and grill location The number of people experiencing homelessness decreased, but the number of people sleeping unsheltered increased from 92 to 111, according to the 2025 Point-In-Time Count. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development has communities take a count of unsheltered people during the last 10 days of January, annually. The national total is used to determine housing and shelter funding. National trends show an increase in homelessness in the past year, a trend that has continued since the Covid-19 pandemic. The unsheltered count includes people located in vacant properties, underpasses, woods and parks. The sheltered count includes people staying in area emergency shelters. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Parents, Get Excited: Babyletto Just Unveiled a Crib Innovation
Parade aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission. Parents, Get Excited: Babyletto Just Unveiled a Crib Innovation originally appeared on Parade Home & Garden. Babies grow so fast, it feels like you're constantly swapping out clothes, toys and gear every few months. One minute something fits or works perfectly, and the next it's too small or too simple. It can be overwhelming (and expensive). That's why it's such a relief when you find something that actually grows with them or serves a purpose beyond the baby years. Having a few things that last longer makes life a little easier and a lot less cluttered. Also, you feel better about investing in something high quality. A lot of times you'll see cribs that convert into anywhere from three to six different sizes (like to a toddler bed or even a twin-size). But Babyletto is upping the ante on the convertible crib game with, wait for it, a 9-in-1 convertible new Rolli 9-in-1 Convertible All-Stages Crib ($599.99 at Target) comes with bassinet and toddler bed conversion kits, but it can do so much more. This crib that's actually kind of brilliant—it's called the Rolli, and it's designed to grow with your kid from newborn through toddler years, even up to around age five. It starts as a bassinet, then converts into a crib, toddler bed and a couple of other setups depending on what you need and how much space you've got. The look is super simple and clean, so nothing too trendy, making it fit with just about any nursery really, it goes beyond age 5, because ultimately it can convert into a full-size bed. And as a mom of three whose kids really loved for me to fall asleep with them until a certain age (don't judge me), a full-size bed is so helpful for everyone. Aside from the bassinet and toddler bed conversion kits, you will have to purchase the other kits separately. The twin/full-size bed conversion kit costs $119 and the midi crib conversion kit is $ Get Excited: Babyletto Just Unveiled a Crib Innovation first appeared on Parade Home & Garden on Jun 6, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade Home & Garden on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.