Hillsborough County commissioners are scheduled to take part in Thursday’s (Feb. 25) annual homeless count.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY – More than 300 volunteers are set to join county commissioners, federal leaders and other local officials Thursday (Feb. 25) to get an idea of how many homeless people are in Hillsborough County.

The homeless count is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for local funding,, which brings in nearly $7 million annually in federal funding to Tampa and Hillsborough County. This data will be used to help implement housing solutions to reduce the length of homelessness and the number of people experiencing homelessness. The funding provides permanent housing, rapid-rehousing, temporary shelters, and support services.

The Tampa Hillsborough Homeless Initiative estimates that more than 1,900 people in the area experience homelessness, including those in shelters and temporary housing, on any given night. This year’;s information will be compiled and available on THHI’s website in the next few weeks.

Volunteers will visit encampments, meal sites, shelters, and other locations frequented by our homeless neighbors. Those staying in emergency shelters and transitional housing will be included in the count as well. Data will be collected through a brief survey and observation, providing a snapshot of the homeless population in our community during a single, 24-hour period.

The count will be conducted in three shifts. Volunteers will report to their assigned deployment location at the beginning of the shift, then disperse into the field approximately 30 minutes later. The shifts are: 5:30 to 10:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Hillsborough County Commissioners are scheduled to participate in the count in two locations during the morning.

For information, go to the Tampa Hillsborough Homeless Initiative’s website at thhi.org.

Tampa Hillsborough Homeless Initiative | Homeless Count | Tampa | Hillsborough | TB Reporter

#TampaHillsboroughHomelessInitiative #HomelessCount #Tampa #Hillsborough #TBReporter