The Housing Inventory Count (HIC) is a point-in-time inventory of provider programs within your Continuum of Care that provide beds and units dedicated to serve persons who are homeless. The HIC is categorized by five Program Types:

1. Emergency Shelter: Total number of emergency shelter beds and units that are designated to serve people who are homeless and are recognized as part of the formal homeless system.
2. Transitional Housing: Total number of transitional housing beds and units designated to serve people who are homeless and are recognized as part of the formal homeless system.
3. Safe Haven: Total number of Safe Haven beds and units that satisfy HUD’s standards, as identified in the 2009 NOFA.
4. Rapid Re-housing: Total number of rapid re-housing beds and units.
   Permanent Supportive Housing: Total number of permanent supportive housing beds and units.

The Point-in-Time (PIT) count refers to a sheltered and unsheltered count of homeless persons.  HUD requires that Continuums of Care conduct an annual count of homeless persons who are sheltered in emergency shelter, transitional housing, and Safe Havens on a single night. Continuums of Care also must conduct a count of unsheltered homeless persons every other year (odd numbered years). Counts are based on:

1. Number of persons in households without children;
2. Number of persons in households with at least one adult and one child; and
3. Number of persons in households with only children.
   This includes only persons age 17 or under, including one-child households, adolescent parents and their children, adolescent siblings, or other household configurations composed only of children.

Counts are further broken down into subpopulation categories including counts of persons who are chronically homeless, persons with severe mental illness, chronic substance abusers, veterans, persons with HIV/AIDS, and victims of domestic violence.