The 2009 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count was implemented by using HUD recommended practices for counting sheltered and unsheltered homeless persons. Taking these recommendations into account, LAHSA completed a street count of unsheltered homeless persons and a shelter count of sheltered homeless persons. To further capture the unsheltered population in the Los Angeles CoC, LAHSA completed a hidden homeless telephone survey and a street count for homeless youth which was conducted in collaboration with several Los Angeles CoC service providers. These numbers are included in the final count estimates for the Los Angeles Coc.

The following components were also completed for the 2005 and 2007 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Counts:

The Unsheltered Street Count utilizes volunteers to enumerate unsheltered homeless persons on a given night (e.g. living on the street, in encampments, in cars) in census tracts throughout the County.

The Sheltered & Institution Count estimates the number of homeless individuals and families housed overnight in shelters (emergency and transitional shelters, motels/hotels that accept homeless vouchers) and institutions (residential alcohol & drug treatment centers, jails, detention centers, hospital emergency rooms).

Homeless Person Surveys collect demographic data (age, gender, etc.) and descriptive data (length of time being homeless, services used, etc.) about homeless individuals in our CoC.

The General Population Telephone Survey seeks to enumerate the "hidden homeless"; that is, those who currently would not be counted via the Unsheltered Street Count or the Sheltered & Institution Count because they are camping on private property, living in unconverted garages and garden sheds, and other such areas.