Jan. 7—Odessa Links, in association with the Texas Homeless Network, Odessa Homeless Coalition, and Midland Homeless Coalition, and volunteers from the community, will conduct Odessa’s 2025 Point-in-Time (PIT) Homeless Count Jan. 23.
Over 24 hours, trained volunteers will count and survey individuals in the community in emergency shelters, transitional housing, and unsheltered locations (outdoor encampments, streets, cars, and other places not meant for habitation). This count will provide a “snapshot” of the number of people experiencing homelessness and the key characteristics of those individuals and families.
There is a volunteer training for individuals interested in volunteering for the 2025 Point-in-Time Homeless Count in Odessa and Midland.
The training will be at 9 a.m. Jan. 14 at the CEED Building on the UTPB campus, 1310 FM 1788.
To sign up: Text PIT to 432-363-4799 or visit https://bit.ly/PIT25VolunteerSignUp
The results of the PIT Count will indicate the minimum number of people experiencing homelessness in the community on any given night. However, other forms of homelessness, such as temporarily staying with friends or having enough funds for a hotel or motel, are not included in the PIT Count (per the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development guidelines).
They recognize that this means the PIT Count data will only represent a fraction of the homeless population in Odessa.
The PIT Count will improve understanding of the needs and circumstances of the homeless people in the community. The survey will provide key data on gender, age, ethnicity, veteran status, and more.
The results from the PIT Count will be publicly available, and be used to improve the response to homelessness. Subsequent counts will also allow us to measure progress toward the ultimate goal of ending homelessness in Odessa.
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