Last year’s 2024 Homeless Point-in-Time Count found that about 500 youth and young adults in Pierce County were unhoused. Half of those were under the age of 18.

Thanks to some help from the federal government, Pierce County officials hope to make that a thing of the past.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently chose the county’s human services department to participate in its 100-Day Challenge, an initiative empowering communities across the country work to end youth and young adult homelessness. The department — known as Pierce County Human Services — and the county’s Youth Action Board were also awarded $3.5 million to create a plan through HUD’s Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program. The department is the first in the nation to participate in both programs at once.

“We now have all the tools we need to reach functional zero for youth homelessness,” says Devon Isakson, the department’s social service supervisor. “I am most excited about the impact this will make for youth in our community experiencing housing instability or homelessness.”

The initiative kicks off with an in-person event  from 1-3 p.m. Feb. 5 at William Philip Hall, University of Washington – Tacoma, 1918 Commerce St. Activists are strongly encouraged to attend, and volunteers are also needed for work groups

The 2025 Homeless Time Count is on Jan. 30 and 31. Last year, volunteers counted 2,661 people on Pierce County streets and in shelters. In King County, last year’s point-in-time count identified more than 16,000 unhoused individuals.