BACKGROUND

The Point-in-Time Survey is used during the Homeless Count to produce an estimate of the "Point Prevalence" of homelessness in the community or region. Point Prevalence is defined as "the number of people who are homeless at a single point in time, usually one day or one night" (Burt, 1996, p. 22). The benefits of conducting this research are that it can be used for both estimating population size and identifying characteristics and needs.  It also supplies information for public education about homelessness and it provides information for service planning. The major limitations to this type of research are that not all respondents will answer questions asked by the survey interviewer, thereby skewing the data and results. Also, the numbers reflected in this report are not an accurate number of the actual homeless or at-risk of homeless that are in Collier County on any given night or within a defined period of time.  The primary limitation of this method is undercounting, for it is nearly impossible to count all of the homeless people in a community in one day or within a 24 hour period of activity.  

SUMMARY

Over a 24 hour period on January 29th and 30th, 2009 over 70 volunteers within Collier County, Florida, participated in the Annual Point-In-Time Survey as either a Survey Interviewer or Get Help Clinic provider. The total number of respondents was 514.

HUD mandates a Homeless Count every other year.  Years 2007 and 2009 reflect these mandatory counts.