Finding And Counting People Without Homes

Workers across the state will try to get an accurate count this week of the homeless population. Each year the federal Housing and Urban Development agency, HUD, requires states to calculate the number of people who are homeless. This count takes place at shelters, as well as tallying the people at tent camps, under bridges and even those staying with relatives.  Darryl Kosciak is Executive Director of Partners Ending Homelessness, in Greensboro.

"There are some environmental factors we have no control over that could impact it. As an example, last year was an especially warm day - this year in an effort to be as accurate as we possibly can, we actually are going to extend the count to include over the weekend."

So through Sunday, officials will continue to ask people where the spent Wednesday night.  The Point-In-Time count began 10 years ago in an effort to get a snapshot of the number of men, women and children who are homeless in the U.S. Last year about 1,100 people were counted in Greensboro, making it the highest per capita rate in the state.