The Williamson County Homeless Coalition will conduct its annual point-in-time count, which occurs over the course of a single day in late January, to get a snapshot of the number of individuals and families experiencing homelessness in the county.

How it works

The PIT count covers all of Williamson County and takes place in two parts—a daytime count and an evening count—both on the same day.

During the day, volunteers go to locations where unhoused people might gather, such as food pantries, to count and speak with them in one-on-one interviews. In the evening, volunteers go out in groups, asking a specific set of questions to determine if individuals are unhoused.

Volunteers may also distribute items, such as blankets, socks or food donations. The operation requires a large number of volunteers, typically around 50-100, though more volunteers can help cover wider areas, PIT count leader Janette Gaudiesus said.

Something to note

Although the PIT count includes a sheltered and unsheltered count, the lack of homeless shelters in Williamson County makes obtaining an accurate count more challenging, WilCo Homeless Coalition co-Chair Christel Erickson-Collins said.

“[The count is] usually done in the colder months so that most people would be in a shelter,” Erickson-Collins said. “That doesn't really pertain to our county because ... we have limited shelter.”

Another challenge is that recent laws—like the 2021 statewide ban on camping in public places—make it harder for volunteers to find the unhoused population, WilCo Homeless Coalition co-Chair Lindsay Kocen said.

“There may be people who are unsheltered, but we don't see them as much because they're hidden and they're scared, really, to be found,” Kocen said.

The big picture

The Texas Homeless Network partners with local communities across the state to support the PIT count, and analyzes and publishes the data once it’s collected. The WilCo Homeless Coalition said agencies and public officials can then use the data to:

• Develop policy
• Identify trends in homelessness
• Determine gaps in services in Williamson County
• Raise awareness within the community

“I think it's up to those organizations to pay attention to it and realize, ‘Oh, there is a problem here, [and] we do need to start working on this,’” Gaudiesus said.

Get involved

Those interested in volunteering for the PIT count can fill out this form. Any additional questions can be directed to [email protected].

“Although they're volunteering for one night, we want to go far beyond that one night so we can help solve this together,” Gaudiesus said.