URBANA, Ill. (Chambana Today) — Champaign County officials are preparing for the 2026 Point-in-Time (PIT) count of people experiencing homelessness, an annual effort that informs local and federal policy.

A press conference with Continuum of Care Coordinator Katie Harmon is scheduled for Thursday, January 22, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the Brookens Administrative Center in Urbana. Harmon will outline the evening’s count, which begins at 6 p.m. and involves volunteers canvassing the community to identify both sheltered and unsheltered individuals.

Mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the PIT count provides critical data used to allocate federal funding and track progress toward ending homelessness. In 2025, 355 people were counted as experiencing homelessness in Champaign County, including 75 children. Of those, 56 were unsheltered, 169 stayed in emergency shelters, and 130 were in transitional housing.

The Champaign County Continuum of Services Providers to the Homeless (CSPH) coordinates the effort locally. CSPH is a coalition of more than 40 non-profit, government, and faith-based organizations, as well as local businesses, all committed to addressing homelessness. New volunteers and community members are welcome to join the effort.