Point-In-Time
ABOUT THE EVENT
HOPES Center of Racine, one of the member agencies of the CoC, facilitates street outreach year-round. However, on the fourth Wednesday of January and July each year, homeless service providers and volunteers join forces and “take to the streets” to locate and count persons experiencing street homelessness in Racine County and offer them shelter and other services.
THE PURPOSE OF POINT IN TIME STREET OUTREACH
The primary goal of the Point-In-Time Street Outreach event is to identify anyone without shelter and help them identify shelter options and other services available in the community. The secondary goal is to obtain demographic information that helps us make decisions about gaps in services and the needs of those experiencing homelessness. It is also a requirement attached to funding for homeless and homeless prevention assistance that is received in Racine County. These funds originate with the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and are administered directly by HUD, the State of Wisconsin, or the City of Racine.
WHAT DO WE DO WHEN WE FIND SOMEONE WHO IS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS?
- Determine if there are any immediate medical, safety, or food needs and address those needs
- Take the individual to shelter (if the person agrees to go)
- Connect people to the street outreach team (if they decline or are not able to enter the shelter)
- Assist the individual in contacting family and friends if requested
- Provide information about community services and provide direct referrals
- Conduct a brief interview to find out more about the individual’s situation and obtain demographic information
WHEN IS THE NEXT POINT-IN-TIME?
The next point-in-time will be Wednesday, January 22, 2025, from 9 p.m. to 3:00 a.m.
PREPARING FOR PIT: THE POINT-IN-TIME WORKGROUP
The Point-in-Time Work Group falls under the Continuum of Care for the City & County of Racine’s (CoC) HMIS (Homeless Management Information System) Committee. The work group oversees the preparation, implementation, and reporting of Point-in-Time counts. The point-in-time count is an annual count of the number of people experiencing homelessness according to the definition provided in the HEARTH (Homeless Emergency Assistance for Rapid Transition to Housing) Act of 2009. The objective of the PIT Work Group is to organize and implement PIT in a manner that will result in the most accurate estimate possible of the number of people experiencing homelessness in the City and County of Racine on the night-of-count. Our PIT count for Racine becomes a component of the count for Wisconsin and the United States.
The Point-in-Time Work Group will meet at HOPES Center of Racine (521 Sixth Street) to prepare for the 2025 PIT Count. The meeting will take place at 3 p.m. on:
- November 12, 2024
- December 10, 2024
- January 14, 2024
The work group will review what is needed to have a successful PIT count and assign individuals or agencies to various tasks and activities.
PIT 2025 ATTENDANCE AND REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Any agency that receives funding from the HUD/COC or ESG is required to participate in the planning and implementation of Point-in-Time, but we encourage all agencies to take part in this important activity regardless of funding source. Community members are also encouraged to attend.
Pre-registration is required to participate on the night of the count. Registration will open from December 30, 2024, through January 13, 2025.
[Page updated: 01/13/2025]
