Volunteers Finishing Up Pasadena’s Homeless Count Wednesday Morning

The 2024 Pasadena Homeless Count, part of the annual effort by the Pasadena Partnership to End Homelessness, will conclude its latest survey on Wednesday morning, January 24, following a detailed and structured approach to quantifying the local homeless population.

Media was not permitted to be embedded with volunteers to observe as has been routine in previous years.

Volunteers in teams of 4-5  covered assigned zones across the City to help conduct a snapshot in time of the City’s homeless population over two sessions – an evening session on Tuesday from 8 to 10 p.m. and a Wednesday morning session from 6 to 8 a.m. 

After completing mandatory training, including virtual orientation sessions, the volunteers play a critical role in both counting and surveying the homeless population.

In recent years the count has shifted from paper surveys to mobile surveys.

The advancement has facilitated more accurate geolocation and dynamic questioning based on the responses received. 

Outreach workers have been integrated into the counting process, particularly in zones with higher concentrations of homeless individuals.

These teams, with their expertise and experience, focus on areas that are less accessible or known to be inhabited by homeless individuals, such as freeway embankments.

Volunteers receive a list of hotspots within their assigned zones. These hotspots are locations known to have higher concentrations of homeless individuals, such as parks, underpasses, and other public spaces.

The distribution of sanitation or cold weather kits to homeless individuals has been an integral part of the count. These kits usually contain essential items that can provide immediate relief to individuals living on the streets, including toiletries, socks, gloves, and other necessities that cater to the basic hygiene and warmth needs of the homeless population to ensure that there are protocols in place for volunteers to contact authorities if they encounter any safety concerns.

The count will be tallied and released later this year.