The Loudoun County Continuum of Care (CoC), along with jurisdictions that make up the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, is preparing to conduct the annual Point-in-Time (PIT) Count of people who are experiencing homelessness. The count is scheduled to be conducted the night of Wednesday, January 27, 2021. In the event of inclement weather, the count will be conducted Wednesday, February 3, 2021.
The PIT Count, which is conducted nationally, is intended to provide a single-day snapshot of people in a community who are experiencing homelessness.
“The count helps us to better understand the needs of our most vulnerable community members and provide essential support services to assist those individuals and families,” said Loudoun County Department of Family Services Acting Director Ina Fernandez.
During the count, members of the CoC will canvass the county to assist anyone who is unsheltered by sharing resources. The count will be conducted safely following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to reduce the spread of COVID-19, including wearing face coverings and practicing social distancing.
Key benefits of the PIT Count include:
- Communitywide Assessment: The count measures progress toward the goal of ending homelessness for each community and identifying important data on the general homeless population and subpopulations, including veterans, families, chronically homeless individuals, and youth.
- Program Development: Results from the count help communities plan services and programs to address local needs, measure progress in decreasing homelessness, and identify strengths and gaps in a community’s current homelessness assistance system.
- Increased Awareness: The count brings public awareness and attention to homelessness.
Anyone who has questions about the Point-in-Time Count should contact Loudoun Continuum of Care Lead Jennifer Hope by email or call 703-771-5881.
To get connected to health and human services information and resources in Loudoun County, including coordinated entry for housing and homeless assistance, contact the Loudoun County Information and Referral program at 703-777-0420.
The Loudoun Continuum of Care is a partnership between local government, nonprofit agencies, the public school system, health care providers, faith-based organizations and others who work together to address the needs of those experiencing housing instability or homelessness in Loudoun County. More information is online at loudoun.gov/CoC.
# # #