Long Beach is looking for 350 volunteers to participate in next year’s 2026 Point in Time Count, the City’s annual tally of people experiencing homelessness in Long Beach.
Volunteers are needed for Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026 to help the Long Beach Health Department conduct the count. The Point in Time Count is also a way for residents to learn about their houseless neighbors, as well as for unhoused residents to learn about City resources they may not be aware of.
Volunteer registration is now open and will remain available until all slots are filled. If more than 350 people register, additional participants will be placed on a waitlist.
To volunteer for the street count, people must:
- Be 18 years or older
- Attend a two-hour orientation and training prior to the Count. Orientations will be offered both virtually and in person in January.
- Commit to a four-hour canvassing shift on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Volunteers must report by 4:30 a.m. and will be dispatched to the field by 5 a.m.
Volunteers will meet at The Grand Long Beach (4101 E. Willow St.) at 4:30 a.m., where they will be grouped in teams of three to five and assigned specific areas of the city for the count. Teams will also administer surveys to people experiencing homelessness who are willing to share information, as well as distribute gift cards, hygiene kits and water during the outreach.
In low-density areas of the city, people may be assigned to canvass by car, but most will be on foot.
All street count volunteers, regardless of prior participation, must complete one of the following required orientation sessions, which will cover best practices for engaging with people experiencing homelessness, how to use the Count’s mobile application and day-of logistics for the Count itself:
- Online: Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. via Zoom
- In-person: Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Housing Authority building (1500 Hughes Way, Suite C-300). Capacity is limited and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Online: Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. via Zoom
In addition to the street count, the City also conducts a shelter count where staff and volunteers collect data and administer surveys to people residing in local interim housing facilities. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), residents of interim housing are still considered to be experiencing homelessness.
People interested in participating in the shelter count, which will take place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, can note their interest when registering for the Point in Time Count. Shelter count volunteers will not be asked to participate in the street count on Jan. 22, 2026 or the street count orientations.
However, shelter count volunteers will be required to participate in a separate shelter count orientation held virtually on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. via Zoom.
Long Beach is one of only three cities in Los Angeles County that independently manages its own Continuum of Care (CoC), a local network funded by HUD that coordinates housing and services for people experiencing homelessness. HUD requires CoCs to conduct a count every other year, but Long Beach holds its Count annually to better inform local planning and improve services. The City’s Homeless Services Bureau, within the Health Department, leads the effort and oversees the Long Beach CoC.
Residents who cannot volunteer but still want to help their houseless neighbors can donate to drop-off bins at two local locations:
- Boys and Girls Club of Long Beach (3635 Long Beach Blvd.), Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Scherer Park Community Center, (4654 Pasadena Ave.), Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m.
Bins are also located at all open Long Beach Public Library locations during regular business hours.
For more information about the Long Beach Homeless Count, visit longbeach.gov/homelesscount, email HomelessCount@longbeach.gov or call the Multi-Service Center at 562-570-4500.
