ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Volunteers were out in frigid temperatures Thursday to launch the annual count of how many people are living on the streets of Albuquerque. The New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness said it was a strong start despite the weather as they gathered hundreds of surveys in the first few hours. "This area near the International District library is usually pretty heavy in terms of finding people," said William Bowen, The New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness.  Story continues below Community: Pillar of Albuquerque cycling community killed in hit and run Entertainment: ABQ city councilors request funding for playscape at balloon museum Crime: Will Couy Griffin accept a pardon for his Jan. 6th conviction? That was the first stop for the New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness as they kicked off a week-long process of the Point In Time Count, amid one of the coldest weeks Albuquerque has seen in years. "We have actually seen some refusals just because it's so cold," said Terra Honaker, volunteer.  "It's more difficult to find people sometimes when it's cold but we have some local experts on these survey teams who know where to find people and we are leaning heavily on that," said Bowen.   The Point In Time Count is an annual effort, aimed at getting a picture of how many homeless people are living on the streets of Albuquerque spreading groups of volunteers across the city over four days to conduct the count.  This year, it's working a little differently, with the core group of volunteers posting up in one area each day, over the course of a week.  "Knowing that we have a full week and that we are going over the weekend and that we are going to be going back later, there's no kind of intense time crunch," said Honaker.  On Thursday, the team started in the International District with plans to move over by the university, west side and eventually downtown. Volunteers said being able to stay in one spot long has helped them connect with more people with 300 surveys within the first three hours.   The survey consists of 16 core questions, with a few new questions this year. “One of the questions on the survey is, do you think you experienced violence, or you've been threatened because of the fact that your unhoused? I would say it was almost a unanimous yes,” said Honaker.   The team said most of the people they have surveyed so far say they are from Albuquerque, with others from elsewhere in New Mexico, and others from California and Arizona. As they conducted the count, the volunteers also handed out hats, gloves, and snacks.    The New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness said they are also focused on seeing if there is a change in the number of homeless veterans. The results of the survey go to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and are used to determine federal funding levels.