in the usa, the united_states_department_of_housing_and_urban_development (hud) agency requires a homeless "enumeration" or count every two years. they classify "homeless" in a careful way and that way is very influential and a lot of other agencies and church groups copy it. in metro vancouver homeless people are counted by the british columbia (b.c.) non-profit housing society which conducts the homeless count with the help of about 1,200 volunteers.