For the first time, homeless counters were required to speak to everyone they tallied. For the first time, homeless counters were required to speak to everyone they tallied. “Excuse me, I’m with the city, and we’re conducting a survey of the homeless population,” said Shana Hackney. But for this year’s homeless census, held early Thursday, the city required that counters speak to every apparently homeless person they came across. As the counters walked away from her, a man named Amir shouted from up the block.