Homeless Counts Dropped in These California Counties This Year

August 26, 2026

California counties have reported preliminary declines in their 2026 homeless populations during the January point-in-time count, with over half of the 28 counties that released data showing decreases ranging from modest drops like San Francisco's 4% to significant reductions such as San Joaquin County's nearly one-third reduction. County officials attribute these improvements to increased shelter beds and low-income housing funded by recent state grants, including Homekey and other homelessness prevention programs. However, housing advocates question whether the declining numbers accurately reflect reality, suggesting that intensified encampment sweeps following a 2024 Supreme Court ruling may be scattering homeless individuals and making them harder to count rather than actually reducing homelessness.

Who is affected

Homeless populations across California counties
San Joaquin County (nearly one-third reduction in total unhoused population)
San Francisco (4% drop)
Alameda County (13% drop)
Los Angeles County (1% increase)
Sacramento County (13% increase countywide, decrease within city limits)
Contra Costa County (7% increase)
Fresno and Madera counties (reported 34% drop)
Monterey County (15% decrease overall, nearly 25% reduction in unsheltered)
Volunteers, city, county, and nonprofit staffers conducting counts
Nearly 150 people moved from encampments along Pajaro River levee, in Soledad, and King City
Jonathan Russell, director of Alameda County Health Housing and Homelessness Services
Dawn McLeish, deputy director of San Joaquin County's human services department
Niki Jones, executive director of Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness
Roxanne Wilson, homeless services director for Monterey County
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass

What action is being taken

Counties are conducting point-in-time homeless counts (conducted in January 2026)
Cities are ramping up enforcement against unhoused people, clearing encampments and citing people for illegal camping more frequently
Police are giving out more citations for camping-related offenses
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass' Inside Safe program is targeting people living in tent encampments and moving them into hotels
Monterey County is using three state Encampment Resolution Grants to move people from encampments into temporary accommodations (shelter in Santa Cruz County, tiny homes in Soledad, and hotel rooms in King City)

Why it matters

The homeless count results are significant because they represent the only standardized way California and the country measure fluctuations in homeless populations, despite known flaws and undercounting issues. The declining numbers could indicate that state investments in shelter beds and low-income housing are working, particularly the influx of funding from programs like Homekey and the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention fund over the past four years. However, the reliability of these improvements is questionable given increased enforcement activities that may scatter homeless individuals rather than house them, potentially masking the true scope of homelessness. The sustainability of any genuine progress is threatened by recent federal cuts to Medi-Cal and social services, combined with the one-time nature of state grants that makes long-term planning and stable funding impossible. The outcomes also matter because they influence policy decisions and resource allocation for addressing homelessness across the state.

What's next

Officials in counties with declining counts are uncertain whether they can maintain those gains in the face of recent federal cuts to Medi-Cal and social services
Counties face challenges with unstable funding, as state homelessness funding comes in one-time grants, making it difficult to plan ahead and invest in long-term strategies
Counties "never know for sure how much money they'll get next year – or if they'll get anything at all"

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint