Homelessness affects communities across Minnesota— including Greater Minnesota. 

The West Central Minnesota Continuum of Care (CoC) is tasked with working in partnership with regional partners (local governments, housing and human services agencies, faith partners, schools, law enforcement, and persons with lived experience) to make homelessness rare, brief, and one-time. 

Data is essential to meeting this goal. One source of data collected by the CoC is the annual Homeless Point-in-Time (PIT) Count. On the night of Wednesday, Jan. 28, volunteers will count individuals staying in shelters, transitional housing, and places not meant for human habitation.

The PIT seeks to identify the number of people and households who are homeless in each county on a single night. During a 24-hour period, local volunteers and agency staff canvass the region and host events to gather basic demographic information to help the CoC identify changes in the needs and depth of homelessness in our region and to comply with federal mandates requiring a count each January.

“Counting people is never enough, yet it starts the work to get folks identified so they can get connected with resources and/or services,” said Gina Kautz, West Central CoC Board Chair.  “The PIT Count serves as a snapshot of homelessness in our region.”

Who is counted in the PIT Count?

Persons who are…

• Sheltered and living in:

• Year-round shelters

• Domestic violence (DV) shelters

• Motels paid for by an agency, church, city or county

• Transitional housing programs dedicated to people who are homeless

• Unsheltered

• Outdoors (including a tent)

• In a vehicle and/or buildings that are not intended for residency (shed, icehouse, storage unit, condemned home)

Who is not counted?

• People that are doubled up with family and friends

• People in institutions or beds NOT dedicated to people who are homeless (jail)

During the 2025 count across our West Central region, which includes the following 10 counties of Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Stevens, Traverse, Otter Tail, Pope, Wadena and Wilkin, along with White Earth Nation. 186 individuals were counted. The count breakdown included:

• 118 people in Emergency Shelter

• 58 people in Transitional Housing

• 10 people who were Unsheltered (living in a place not meant for human habitation).

Data helps us better serve people experiencing homelessness, support funding requests, and improve services. 

While the 2023 count was the lowest in 15 years (287 in 2013 was the highest), the annual January point-in-time count offers only a snapshot, not the full picture. It does show trends, and we expect an increase in 2026. The CoC also analyzes provider data, from prevention requests to housing retention, which highlights the need for more affordable housing and support services. 

We welcome new partners, funding, and housing to make homelessness rare, brief, and one-time in the West Central region. Learn how to help at www.homelesstohoused.com and fmhomeless.org.