WNYC NEWSROOM January 29, 2007 —Tonight is the city's annual homeless count. More than 1000 volunteers will hit the streets around midnight in search of homeless individuals bedding down on city streets and subways instead of in shelters. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports.

This is the 5th year the survey of the homeless has been conducted. It started out only in Manhattan but for the last 2 years all 5 boroughs have been included. Volunteers search areas where the homeless are known to sleep at night such as the steps of several churches in midtown and on subways.

But volunteers don't go inside abandoned buildings or cars, or deep into city parks. Over the years, the numbers have shown increases in Brooklyn and a decline of nearly 800 people in Manhattan in 2006 compared to 2005. Some homeless advocates reject the count calling it inaccurate. The city has maintained the survey is meant to be an estimate used to spot trends.

For WNYC, I'm Cindy Rodriguez.