The power of community engagement

Each January, regions across the country take part in their own Point-in-Time (PIT) Count. At first glance, the count might seem like just another HUD requirement: a single night’s snapshot of who is unhoused in a given area. But in Colorado Springs this year, it became something more. It became a testament to the power of community.

Since 2018, ChangeLine has been the lead agency for the Pikes Peak Continuum of Care (PPCoC). Lead agencies oversee all HUD-mandated functions, including the PIT Count. Our role is part convener, part connector: making sure local partners, systems, and individuals move in the same direction toward shared outcomes.

The 2025 PIT Count identified 1,745 people experiencing homelessness in El Paso County—an increase of 599 from the previous year. The rise likely reflects both a real increase in homelessness and a more comprehensive count, thanks to deeper community engagement fostered through ChangeLine’s people-centered approach. 

Changing the mindset

When Merrina Mendez, ChangeLine’s Homelessness Initiatives Community Relations Manager, stepped into her role just months before the 2025 PIT Count, she was determined to do things differently. “We hear all the time that it’s just one data point, and not reliable,” she said. “But that mindset is harmful. Our community depends on this data. If we don’t take it seriously, we can’t provide the support people actually need.”

Drawing on ChangeLine’s model of listening deeply, learning alongside others, and centering equity, Merrina helped transform the count into a community-wide effort built on trust.

The 2025 PIT wasn’t “just another count.” It was an opportunity to build rapport with service providers, city partners, local residents, and unhoused neighbors–all for the common goal of making homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring.

Building trust for better results

That shift in mindset paid off. More than 125 volunteers came out for the 2025 count, a significant increase from 75 the year prior. These volunteers administered surveys, packed care kits, managed logistics, entered data, and supported others. Many were new, but many others were established outreach workers already embedded in the work. Their presence was crucial in acquiring more surveys, which ask for personal information most people aren’t comfortable handing out.

“Trust is everything,” Merrina explained. “If a stranger came up to me asking for my Social Security number for a survey, I’d say no, absolutely not. But if it was a familiar face from the Street Outreach team, maybe I’d stop to listen. People are more willing to share with someone they have a relationship with.”

Meeting people where they are and honoring relationships is at the core of ChangeLine’s approach. It’s how data collection becomes community engagement, and how community engagement becomes systems change.

The power of partnerships

Many agencies contributed their time and expertise to the count, helping to reach people in more isolated locations. For instance, the city’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services department shared mapping data that helped volunteers focus on areas where people were likely to be staying.

But the Colorado Springs Homeless Union, an organization of “currently or formerly homeless individuals in Colorado Springs working to push our local government to enact meaningful solutions to homelessness,” was central.

As Merrina put it, “Our own unhoused population wants to be part of the solution, but they haven’t been given the chance. Their involvement is monumental.”

The value of lived experience

For Kandy Lewis, this work is everything. Having experienced homelessness herself, she knows firsthand how many barriers stand in the way of securing a home. Stigma is a big hurdle to things like receiving medical care and employment, but it also makes advocating for change a real challenge.

“They think that people want to be out there like that, you know,” Kandy said. “And the ones that really want to make it right, they do everything they can, but it doesn’t matter. The stereotype is horrible.”

Like ChangeLine, Kandy believes real change happens when we work together across differences. “You know, we're all human beings, and we all pretty much have the same needs. And if we work together, wonderful things can happen.”

Kandy is a newly elected CoC board member and cofounder of the Homeless Union. She’s also a veteran of four PIT counts–and for her, the increase in engagement this year was unmistakable. “It takes a village,” she said. In other words, collecting more accurate data to better address homelessness requires collaboration. Together is how the needle gets moved.

When asked what she thought made this year different, Kandy replied, “Most unhoused people want to help. If you remove barriers and help them feel safe, they’re more willing to cooperate. As volunteers go, a lot of that had to do with Merrina and ChangeLine.”

Volunteers offered food and supplies, encouraging people to take the survey comfortably and without fear. Organizers worked to remove barriers—like visible police presence—that might discourage participation. And volunteers were trained to explain the importance of the survey, highlighting its importance in securing resources for the community.

“The way the survey was explained to folks, that it’s part of a greater picture and not just a requirement, made all the difference,” Kandy said.

Beyond one night

Of course, the PIT Count will always have its limitations. One cold January night can’t capture the full scope of homelessness in our community. Not everyone will be willing to participate in the survey, and many people remain difficult to count—particularly those living in vehicles, in unstable situations, or fleeing domestic violence. But we know that building trust goes a long way toward more precise data, and community engagement is a catalyst for awareness, education, compassion, and better allocation of resources.

ChangeLine views the PIT count like it views its broader systems change work: To make a lasting difference, we have to work together, center lived experience, and invest in relationships. Every PIT count should be about honoring the knowledge of people closest to the issue and building bridges between city systems and grassroots groups. Leading with compassion is a tried-and-true way of doing that.