City of Compton Demonstrates Unified Commitment During 2026 Homeless Count

On January 22, 2026, the City of Compton proudly hosted its local deployment site for the annual Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count at the Douglas F. Dollarhide Community Center. While thousands of volunteers fanned out across Los Angeles County over a three-night period, Compton residents gathered locally to ensure their city was accurately represented in one of the region’s most important data-collection efforts.

The count is coordinated countywide by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) and provides a federally required point-in-time snapshot of homelessness throughout the L.A. Continuum of Care — which includes most cities in the region except Long Beach, Pasadena, and Glendale, each of which conducts its own count.

For Compton, participation was not symbolic. It was practical, measurable civic engagement.

A Countywide Operation — Powered by Local Communities

Across metro Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, the San Gabriel Valley, East Los Angeles, the Antelope Valley, the South Bay, West Los Angeles, and other regions, volunteers deployed over three consecutive evenings to conduct the unsheltered count. More than 5,000 volunteers signed up countywide — exceeding the original goal by approximately 19%.

In Compton, volunteers gathered at Dollarhide for orientation, received their census tracts, and deployed into assigned neighborhoods to document individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness. The strong turnout from local residents reflected a clear understanding: if Compton does not show up to be counted, Compton does not get counted.

Over 99% of volunteer-recorded observations across the county were captured digitally through LAHSA’s app-based system, marking the fourth consecutive year of digital data collection. This year, volunteers experienced no major technical disruptions. Improved mapping, simplified training materials, and expanded on-site technical support ensured a smoother, more efficient operation.

The strong volunteer response and enhanced deployment strategies led to approximately half as many make-up tracts compared to 2025, with a reported 36% reduction in make-up counts. Outreach teams will complete remaining tracts in the coming days.

Why the Count Matters to Compton

The Homeless Count determines:

• Federal and state funding allocations

• Local housing and shelter program capacity

• Outreach and service planning

• Policy direction at city and county levels

Accurate data directly impacts how resources flow back into cities like Compton. Underreporting means underfunding. Strong participation ensures visibility.

Beyond the unsheltered count, LAHSA has also overhauled its Housing Inventory (sheltered) Count and Youth Count processes to improve response rates and data quality. The Youth Count, focused on individuals ages 10 to 19, will be conducted over an expanded nine-day period. The Housing Inventory Count has been moved earlier in the calendar to allow more time for validation and review.

Additional coordination with the County Department of Health Services and the Emergency Centralized Response Center provides support in harder-to-reach or higher-risk areas throughout the county. While some rugged tracts require specialized teams, Compton’s community volunteers covered accessible neighborhoods with diligence and professionalism.

Regional Leadership — Local Responsibility

County leadership marked the launch of the first night of the count with a public briefing in Los Angeles, underscoring the regional scale of the effort. However, the strength of the Homeless Count does not rest solely with officials — it rests with residents.

In Compton, the presence of engaged community members at Dollarhide demonstrated that civic participation remains strong. Volunteers showed up in the evening hours, committed time, followed training protocols, and ensured their neighborhoods were responsibly canvassed.

That local commitment is what turns a county initiative into meaningful, actionable data.

What Happens Next

In the weeks ahead, LAHSA will transfer the collected data to its partners at the University of Southern California, where unsheltered, sheltered, and youth count data will be combined to calculate the official 2026 Homeless Count estimate.

Results are expected to be released in late spring or early summer 2026. Those numbers will shape funding formulas, housing strategies, and service allocations across Los Angeles County — including in Compton.

Closing Remarks

The 2026 Homeless Count demonstrated that when Compton residents show up, they make an impact. Accurate representation in regional data begins with local action.

The Citizens’ Coalition extends sincere gratitude to the residents of Compton who participated in great numbers. Their engagement ensured that our city’s realities are reflected in the data that drives funding and policy decisions. Civic responsibility, when exercised collectively, strengthens Compton’s voice within the broader county framework — and that voice matters.