LA Homeless Count Gets Major Upgrade for 2026
Los Angeles is making its annual homeless count easier and more accurate with improved technology, better training, and 4,200 volunteers ready to help their neighbors. The changes mean faster data collection and smarter solutions to end homelessness across LA County.
Counting your neighbors shouldn't be complicated, and Los Angeles just proved it's listening to the people who make it happen.
The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority announced sweeping improvements to its 2026 homeless count, building on last year's success of going 100% digital. This year, volunteers get better maps developed with community input, simplified training materials, and more staff support at deployment sites.
The upgrade means volunteers can grab their supplies and head out faster. It also means the data decision makers receive will be more accurate and useful for directing services where they're needed most.
Some of the biggest changes are happening behind the scenes. LA County is sending additional outreach staff to count in dangerous or hard-to-reach areas like basins, creeks, and deserts where community volunteers can't safely go. This ensures every person experiencing homelessness gets counted, no matter where they are.
The Youth Count got a complete makeover too. Instead of a rushed 10-day count, volunteers now have 19 days to survey young people experiencing homelessness using a new respondent-driven approach. The change should capture a much bigger sample and give a clearer picture of youth homelessness across the region.
Nearly 3,000 volunteers have already signed up, but LA needs about 1,200 more people to make the count successful. The San Gabriel Valley, East LA County, and South Bay region especially need help.
The Ripple Effect
When communities count their unhoused neighbors accurately, the impact spreads far beyond one night of data collection. Better numbers mean smarter funding decisions, services reaching the right places, and faster solutions to homelessness. Every volunteer who spends a few hours counting becomes part of solving one of LA's biggest challenges.
The count runs across three nights starting January 20, with different regions counting on different evenings to maximize coverage. Anyone can still sign up at theycountwillyou.org.
Interim CEO Gita O'Neill said it best: solving homelessness takes an entire community working together.
More Images
Based on reporting by Google: volunteers help
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
Spread the positivity! 🌟
Share this good news with someone who needs it
