Niagara Counts
Niagara Counts 2021, Niagara’s third homelessness Point-in-Time (PiT) Count, is part of a national strategy typically completed every two years.
The PiT Count provides a snapshot of homelessness at a given time with the purpose of helping to better understand who is homeless and what their needs are. This involves counting and surveying those in our community who experience:
- Absolute homelessness (those living outside or in emergency shelters)
- Hidden homelessness (those staying with others or "couch surfing")
Niagara will use this PiT Count as an opportunity to ensure the comprehensiveness of the Built for Zero by-name list of people experiencing homelessness.
The 2021 PiT Count took place on March 23. See the results from Niagara Counts 2021.
Goals of the Count
A successful count will allow our community to:
- Ensure the comprehensiveness of the Built for Zero by-name list of people experiencing homelessness
- Better understand the unique and unprecedented situation due to COVID-19 that people are experiencing so that local responses can be developed
- Identify the characteristics and needs of the absolute and hidden homeless
- Identify where progress is being made and where refocusing of effort is required, both geographically and for different subpopulations
- Increase public awareness about homelessness