Volunteer registration opened Monday for the 2026 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count.
The three-night effort is scheduled for Jan. 20-22. The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority is seeking 6,500 volunteers to complete the count across all county regions.
“The Homeless Count is one of LAHSA’s most important duties as the lead for the local Continuum of Care.” Gita O’Neill, LAHSA interim CEO, said in a statement. “Los Angeles conducts the largest unsheltered count in the country, so we need thousands of volunteers to help make the 2026 Homeless Count a success. The information gathered by volunteers strengthens our data and helps our system better understand where our unhoused neighbors are, the services they need most, and what it will take to bring them inside.”
Each January — though this year’s LA-area wildfires delayed the count until February — thousands of volunteers join LAHSA personnel for the Unsheltered Count that covers more than 4,000 square miles countywide.
Small groups of volunteers record the number of people, tents, makeshift shelters and vehicles observed in assigned census tracts. Data collected during the Unsheltered Count influences how federal, state and local governments direct funding for housing construction and homelessness services.
The 2026 count will begin on Tuesday, Jan. 20, in the San Fernando Valley and Metro Los Angeles, according to LAHSA. Volunteers in the San Gabriel Valley and East LA are scheduled to count the following evening, and count participants in the Antelope Valley, West LA, South LA and the South Bay/Harbor area will complete the regional effort Jan. 22.
The Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count also includes a Youth Count throughout January in partnership with youth service organizations. The Shelter Count and Housing Inventory Count take place Jan. 21, and a Demographic Survey by University of Southern California researchers is set for December through March.
Officials said the 2026 count aims to improve data quality, streamline coordination and make the volunteer experience smoother. Participants will continue using the same digital tools and statistical methods, but next year’s count will feature improvements in staffing support, volunteer recruitment and training.
LAHSA is also partnering with the county Department of Health Services and the Emergency Centralized Response Center for difficult-to-access areas, according to the agency.
“Training materials have also been simplified to ensure consistency across all regions, and new mock site tests will help volunteers and coordinators prepare before Count night,” according to a LAHSA statement. “Additionally, updates to the Housing Inventory Count and Youth Count will enhance data accuracy and increase participation across Los Angeles County.
To register for the 2026 count, visit count.lahsa.org.
The number of people experiencing homelessness in LA County this year was 72,195, with 47,450 unsheltered, according to revised figures LAHSA released earlier this month. The city of Los Angeles’ homeless population totaled 43,695, with 26,972 unsheltered.
After significant increases during the coronavirus pandemic, unsheltered homelessness decreased more than 9% in the county and nearly 8% in the city of Los Angeles last year compared with 2024 data.
