ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The city has faced significant challenges regarding its unhoused population, an issue that has grown over the years.
In the 2024 Point-in-Time Count, which is an annual census of people experiencing homelessness, volunteers identified 739 people without housing. Most people (520) were in emergency shelters or transitional housing programs. But city officials said 219 were unsheltered — meaning camping, sleeping in cars or otherwise on the street.
The annual count found 573 unhoused people in 2023.
Each year, the Asheville-Buncombe Continuum of Care, in collaboration with several local organizations, elected officials and community volunteers, conducts the annual Point in Time (PIT) count. The count is a federal requirement for all CoCs to conduct during the last 10 days of January and aggregated, identified data are reported to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to inform federal strategy and resources.
CONTINUUM OF CARE SEEKING VOLUNTEERS FOR ANNUAL HOMELESSNESS SURVEY
The count is similar to a one-night census and provides a basic overview of the scale and composition of the homeless population. This data, while an incomplete picture of everyone experiencing homelessness in the community, can serve as a valuable tool for understanding needs and developing strategies to add housing and service options that may be missing, city officials said.
This year’s count is set for Tuesday evening, Jan. 28, and during the day Wednesday, Jan. 29.