Homelessness Data Last updated or reviewed on November 18, 2024 Point-in-Time Counts The United States Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) requires that all communities that receive HUD funding to address homelessness conduct a Point in Time (PIT) Count sometime in the last 10 days each January to identify how many people are experiencing homelessness on a given night. The PIT count is a one night “snapshot” of the homeless population in Buncombe County, including those in emergency shelters, transitional housing or who are unsheltered, i.e., sleeping outside or in other locations not suitable for human habitation. It provides a picture over time of trends and changes in the population, such as increases in veterans, unsheltered people, or people who are chronically homeless. The dashboard below shows data from the January 30, 2024 count. System Performance Measures We use a Homelessness Management Information System (HMIS) to capture data on who is experiencing homelessness in Buncombe County, what their characteristics and needs are, and how they interact with community services. Many service providers participate in HMIS, contributing data which informs our understanding of homelessness in Asheville and Buncombe County. Service providers in our community can receive training on how to use this system and contribute their data; currently, approximately 66% of service providers in our community use the HMIS, which accounts for 59% of the total beds. The service providers participating in HMIS are ABCCM, Eliada, FIRST at Blue Ridge, Haywood Street Respite, Homeward Bound, Salvation Army, and the VA Medical Center. The dashboard below explores HMIS data from our community, and highlights some of the key metrics used nationwide to track homelessness. However, because only approximately 66% of service providers in our community use the HMIS, the data below is incomplete, and only reflects a portion of Buncombe County. Given this, it should be interpreted with care. See this document for further information. We hope that providing this data hub will encourage other service providers to use the HMIS. Our efforts go further when we are able to easily share information with each other. If you are a service provider and are interested in learning more about using HMIS, please contact Charles Young at cyoung@ashevillenc.gov. Note: All years in the dashboard refer to federal fiscal years, which run from October 1 through September 30. Contact Information Emily Ball – Homeless Strategy Division Manager eball@ashevillenc.gov 828.271.6129
