Tips for surveyors: 2026 HCC PIT Count

Author: Howie River | Date Created:12/23/2025 | Date Updated:

What this is

This articles tips for surveyors who are participating on the night of the 2026 Hennepin PIT count.

What you need to know

Before you start

1. Get logged into HMIS and pre-set your workgroup and organization
2. Print the forms you will need and practice explaining them to others
   1. Data privacy notice
   2. Release of Information
3. Gather some helpful tools to keep on hand:
   1. Pen or pencil (pencils don't freeze outside!)
   2. Notebook or sheets of paper

What counts as unsheltered?

The following situations are considered unsheltered:

• Abandoned building/house without utilities
• Bridge/overpass/railroad
• Bus/light rail/train
• Doorway/skyway
• Park
• Private property (storage, barn, fish house)
• Street or sidewalk
• Vehicle (car, truck, van, camper)
• Restaurant/laundromat
• Up all night walking
• Other (unsheltered)

Introducing yourself

• You will likely be approaching people to collect PIT information.
• Here's a script for introducing yourself:
  • "Hi there, my name is XXXX"
  • "We are collecting information for the Point-in-Time count tonight/today. This is a survey that helps us understand how many people are experiencing homelessness in our community. We are asking a few questions to clarify where people being served by this program slept on Wednesday night"
• Get consent to continue with the survey questions
  • "Are we okay to move forward?"

Gathering information

• Work with the person to see if they were unsheltered on PIT night, and if so, where they were. Here is a script of how to do this:
  • "First off, can you tell me where you slept on Wednesday night 1/28?"
  • And can you also tell me what city and county you were in?
  • If anything besides one of the unsheltered options, you can thank them for their time and move on
  • If they were in a different CoC/county, you can complete a PIT LIVE for them
  • If they were unsheltered in Hennepin you can proceed to the Hennepin PIT Unsheltered Workflow