Pasadena is recruiting volunteers for its annual homeless count as the city prepares for another year of uncertainty surrounding homelessness funding and services.
Registration is open through January 5, 2027, for residents who want to participate in the count, scheduled for the evening of January 20 and the morning of January 21.
The effort comes as Pasadena continues to confront a persistent homelessness problem. The city's 2026 count identified 577 people experiencing homelessness, nearly unchanged from the previous year.
Although fewer people were counted sleeping outdoors, the number staying in shelters and other temporary accommodations increased.
City housing officials have also warned that reductions in federal, state and county funding could affect the programs serving those residents.
Why Pasadena Counts People Experiencing Homelessness
Pasadena conducts an annual Point-in-Time Homeless Count to estimate how many people are experiencing sheltered and unsheltered homelessness on a particular night.
The information helps the city understand changes in its homeless population, identify service needs and determine where additional resources may be necessary.
It also plays an important role in funding decisions.
Federal, state and county agencies use homeless count data when evaluating programs and allocating grants. For Pasadena, accurate information can help demonstrate the need for shelter beds, housing assistance, outreach workers and other services.
The city has a long history of conducting these surveys. Pasadena became the first California city to conduct its own dedicated homeless count in 1992.
Today, the count is organized by the City of Pasadena and the Pasadena Partnership to End Homelessness.
Volunteers help identify people experiencing homelessness, conduct surveys when possible and distribute cold-weather supplies.
The work provides a snapshot of conditions throughout the city rather than a complete count of everyone who experiences homelessness during the year.
Pasadena's 2026 Homeless Count Shows Mixed Results
The most recent results illustrate why the upcoming count matters.
In January 2026, Pasadena identified 577 people experiencing homelessness, compared with 581 in 2025.
That represents a decrease of just four people.
However, the overall figure doesn't tell the entire story.
The number of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness fell approximately 6%, to 322. It was the first decrease in that category in five years.
Meanwhile, the sheltered population rose approximately 7%, reaching 255 people.
That included people staying in emergency shelters, transitional housing and certain motel placements supported through housing assistance programs.
The sheltered count reached its highest level in a decade.
These changes suggest that more people were accessing temporary accommodations, but the total number experiencing homelessness remained essentially unchanged.
Another important finding concerned the January 2025 Eaton Fire.
Among unsheltered people surveyed, 29% reported being affected by the disaster, while 9% identified it as the reason they had lost their housing.
The figures underscore how the effects of a major wildfire can continue influencing housing instability long after the immediate emergency has passed.
Homelessness Funding Is Becoming a Growing Concern
Pasadena's next count will take place against a difficult financial backdrop.
When city housing officials presented the 2026 results in June, they warned that homelessness services could face significant reductions in funding from federal, state and Los Angeles County sources.
Countywide budget pressures have already affected homelessness programs, including outreach and other services that operate in or support Pasadena.
That creates a difficult situation for local officials.
The city's homelessness population has remained relatively stable, but hundreds of residents still need shelter, housing assistance and supportive services.
Reducing funding while demand remains substantial could make those needs harder to address.
Accurate homeless count information becomes especially important under those circumstances.
The results can help identify which populations need additional assistance and provide evidence for future funding requests.
However, a count alone cannot solve homelessness or guarantee additional money.
The information must be paired with effective programs, available housing and sustained resources.
What Volunteers Will Do in January
The 2027 count will use teams of four to five volunteers assigned to specific areas throughout Pasadena.
Participants will survey people experiencing homelessness and distribute cold-weather supplies.
The city requires volunteers to participate in both scheduled shifts:
Wednesday, January 20, 2027: 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Thursday, January 21, 2027: 6 a.m. to 8 a.m.
Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and attend a mandatory online orientation on January 13.
Registration closes Tuesday, January 5.
During the 2026 count, approximately 200 volunteers participated in the effort, covering the city in assigned teams.
The city reported that nearly half of those volunteers were participating for the first time.
Residents interested in joining the 2027 effort can register through the city's official Pasadena Homeless Count volunteer page.
Questions can be directed to HomelessCount@CityOfPasadena.net.
What the Numbers Can't Tell Us
Although Point-in-Time counts provide useful information, they have limitations.
People experiencing homelessness may be difficult to locate, particularly those staying temporarily with friends, moving between locations or avoiding contact with outreach teams.
Families and young people can also be underrepresented.
Pasadena's housing officials have acknowledged that an undercount is possible, especially among populations that are difficult to reach.
The count also measures conditions during a single night. It does not capture everyone who loses housing, enters shelter or finds permanent accommodation over an entire year.
Those distinctions matter when interpreting changes in homelessness figures.
A small decline in the annual count may represent progress, but it doesn't necessarily mean fewer households are experiencing housing insecurity throughout the year.
Likewise, an increase in the sheltered population may reflect improved access to temporary housing rather than an increase in people living on the streets.
For Pasadena, the next count will provide another measure of whether recent changes are continuing, reversing or remaining largely unchanged.
A Community Effort With Larger Consequences
The annual homeless count relies on volunteers, but its implications extend well beyond the people who participate.
The information collected influences how Pasadena plans services, evaluates homelessness trends and makes its case for future funding.
With hundreds of residents still experiencing homelessness and financial pressure affecting assistance programs, the January 2027 count comes at an important moment.
It will not provide every answer about why people lose their housing or what it will take to help them regain stability.
But it can give city officials, service providers and residents a clearer picture of the challenges Pasadena faces.
For volunteers, the commitment involves two short shifts and an evening of training.
For the city, the findings could influence housing and homelessness decisions throughout the coming year.
Sources
Original news reporting: Pasadena Now, November 8, 2026. City Seeks Volunteers by Jan. 5 for 2027 Homeless Count That Guides Service Funding.
Official City of Pasadena announcement: November 6, 2026. City of Pasadena News Archive.
Volunteer registration and requirements: City of Pasadena Department of Housing. Volunteer for the 2027 Pasadena Homeless Count.
Official homelessness data: Pasadena Partnership to End Homelessness. 2026 Point-in-Time Homeless Count Results.
Additional reporting: Pasadena Now, June 22, 2026. Pasadena Homeless Population Holds Nearly Flat as Fewer Sleep Outside.
