3 things metro Phoenix's homeless count could tell us

By summer, the Maricopa Association of Governments will release the results of the 2023 count, along with a demographic breakdown of the homeless population and an analysis of trends identified.

• Here's what we'll be looking to learn from the data:

The 10,000 mark: If Phoenix's point-in-time count increases at a rate similar to past few years, it could exceed 10,000 people for the first time in recent history.

First-time homelessness: Volunteers asked people they located whether they were experiencing homelessness for the first time and whether rising housing costs played a part.

• The answers to these questions may help us quantify how much affordable housing we need and how to prevent others from losing their homes.

Unaccompanied youth: The number of people experiencing homelessness between ages 18 and 24 has spiked since the 2020 PIT count, with 624 people identified in this age range during last year's count.

• Native American Connections plans to open a 50-bed youth shelter and transitional housing facility next month to address this need.