2026 Homeless Count Results Recently Released by a Large Majority of CA Continuums of Care Reveal a Collective Statewide Decrease of 4.1%
2026 Homeless Count Results Recently Released by a Large Majority of CA
Continuums of Care Reveal a Collective Statewide Decrease of 4.1%
Unsheltered Homelessness Decreased Statewide by 7.2%
Sheltered Homelessness Increased Statewide by 1.4%
Of California’s 44 Continuums of Care (CoCs),
- 37 CoCs that completed a Point-in-Time (PIT) unsheltered and sheltered count in 2026 publicly reported their total counts, unsheltered counts, and sheltered counts during the past few months and are included in this report.
- 7 CoCs only completed a sheltered count and are not included in this report.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires CoCs to conduct a PIT count of unsheltered people experiencing homelessness at least every other year (biennially) and a PIT sheltered count every year over one night during the last 10 calendar days of January. CoCs were required to submit their 2026 PIT count data to HUD via HUD’s Homelessness Data Exchange, Version 2.0 (HDX 2.0) by June 13.
Total Count Comparison
Table 1 shows that the 37 CoCs collectively counted 154,943 persons as sheltered and unsheltered in 2026 which is 6,633 or 4.1% fewer persons when compared to the 161,576 persons they counted as sheltered and unsheltered in 2025.
Table 1 also shows that 23 or nearly two-thirds (62.2%) of the 37 CoCs publicly reported a total number of persons counted in 2026 that is less than their 2025 total count. Fourteen (14) or (37.8%) of the 37 CoCs publicly reported an increase in the total number of persons counted in 2026 when compared to their 2025 total count.
Table 1 also provides regional sub-total comparisons for CoCs located in Northern California, Central California, and Southern California:
- The 18 Northern California CoCs collectively counted 837 or 2.0% fewer persons in 2026.
- The 8 Central California CoCs collectively counted 4,411 or 24.6% fewer persons in 2026.
- The 11 Southern California CoCs collectively counted 1,385 or 1.4% fewer persons in 2026.
Click here to see a regional map of CoCs
Table 1. Total Count Comparison
| CoC # | Continuums of Care (CoCs) | Total
2025 Count |
Total
2026 Count |
Difference | |
| # | % | ||||
| Northern California CoCs: | |||||
| CA-501 | San Francisco CoC | 8,671 | 7,973 | -698 | -8.0 |
| CA-502 | Oakland, Berkeley/Alameda County CoC | 9,252 | 8,201 | -1,051 | -11.4 |
| CA-503 | Sacramento City & County CoC | 6,995 | 7,458 | +463 | +6.6 |
| CA-504 | Santa Rosa, Petaluma/Sonoma County CoC | 1,952 | 1,951 | -1 | 0.0 |
| CA-505 | Richmond/Contra Costa County CoC | 2,118 | 2,260 | +142 | +6.7 |
| CA-507 | Marin County CoC | 1,081 | 1,128 | +47 | +4.3 |
| CA-508 | Watsonville/Santa Cruz City & County CoC | 1,473 | 1,648 | +175 | +11.9 |
| CA-512 | Daly City/San Mateo County CoC | 2,147 | 2,240 | +93 | +4.3 |
| CA-515 | Roseville, Rocklin/Placer County CoC | 711 | 642 | -69 | -9.7 |
| CA-516 | Redding/Shasta County CoC | 2,329 | 2,598 | +269 | +11.6 |
| CA-517 | Napa City & County CoC | 374 | 428 | +54 | +14.4 |
| CA-518 | Vallejo/Solano County CoC | 1,604 | 1,543 | -61 | -3.8 |
| CA-521 | Davis, Woodland/Yolo County CoC | 965 | 912 | -53 | -5.5 |
| CA-522 | Humboldt County CoC | 1,489 | 1,383 | -106 | -7.1 |
| CA-523 | Colusa, Glenn, Trinity Counties CoC | 227 | 169 | -58 | -25.6 |
| CA-525 | El Dorado County CoC | 289 | 278 | -11 | -3.8 |
| CA-529 | Lake County CoC | 383 | 483 | +100 | +26.1 |
| CA-531 | Nevada County CoC | 466 | 394 | -72 | -15.5 |
| Sub-Total: | 42,526 | 41,689 | -837 | -2.0 | |
| Central California CoCs: | |||||
| CA-506 | Salinas/Monterey, San Benito Counties CoC | 3,047 | 2,340 | -707 | -23.2 |
| CA-510 | Turlock, Modesto/Stanislaus County CoC | 2,086 | 1,791 | -295 | -14.1 |
| CA-511 | Stockton/San Joaquin County CoC | 4,760 | 3,306 | -1,454 | -30.5 |
| CA-513 | Visalia/Kings, Tulare Counties CoC | 1,472 | 1,298 | -174 | -11.8 |
| CA-514 | Fresno City & County/Madera County CoC | 4,905 | 3,254 | -1,651 | -33.7 |
| CA-520 | Merced City & County CoC | 711 | 748 | +37 | +5.2 |
| CA-526 | Tuolumne, Amador, Calaveras, Mariposa Counties CoC (Central Sierra CoC) | 808 | 651 | -157 | -19.4 |
| CA-530 | Alpine, Inyo, Mono Counties CoC | 124 | 114 | -10 | -8.1 |
| Sub-Total: | 17,913 | 13,502 | -4,411 | -24.6 | |
| Southern California CoCs: | |||||
| CA-600 | Los Angeles City & County CoC | 67,918 | 68,576 | +658 | +1.0 |
| CA-601 | San Diego City and County CoC | 9,905 | 9,803 | -102 | -1.0 |
| CA-602 | Santa Ana, Anaheim/Orange County CoC | 7,710 | 6,321 | -1,389 | -18.0 |
| CA-604 | Bakersfield/Kern County CoC | 2,606 | 2,690 | +84 | +3.2 |
| CA-606 | Long Beach CoC | 3,595 | 3,729 | +134 | +3.7 |
| CA-607 | Pasadena CoC | 581 | 577 | -4 | -0.7 |
| CA-609 | San Bernardino City & County CoC | 3,821 | 3,718 | -103 | -2.7 |
| CA-611 | Oxnard, San Buenaventura/Ventura County CoC | 1,990 | 1,755 | -235 | -11.8 |
| CA-612 | Glendale CoC | 197 | 220 | +23 | +11.7 |
| CA-613 | Imperial County CoC | 1,576 | 1,245 | -331 | -21.0 |
| CA-614 | San Luis Obispo County | 1,238 | 1,118 | -120 | -9.7 |
| Sub-Total: | 101,137 | 99,752 | -1,385 | -1.4 | |
| Total: | 161,576 | 154,943 | -6,633 | -4.1 | |
Unsheltered Count Comparison
As noted by HUD, CoCs must count all individuals or families who meet the criteria in paragraph (1)(i) of the homeless definition in 24 CFR 578.3. This includes individuals and families “with a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings, including a car, park, abandoned building, bus or train station, airport, or camping ground” on the night designated for the count.
Table 2 shows that the 37 CoCs collectively counted 7,437 or 7.2% fewer persons as unsheltered in 2026 when compared to the number of persons they collectively counted as unsheltered in 2025.
Table 2 also provides regional unsheltered sub-total comparisons for CoCs located in Northern California, Central California, and Southern California:
- The 18 Northern California CoCs collectively counted 1,997 or 7.7% fewer persons in 2026.
- The 8 Central California CoCs collectively counted 4,540 or 38.0% fewer persons in 2026.
- The 11 Southern California CoCs collectively counted 900 or 4% fewer persons in 2026.
Table 2. Unsheltered Count Comparison
|
CoC # |
Continuums of Care (CoCs) |
2025
Unsheltered Count |
2026
Unsheltered Count |
Difference | |
| # | % | ||||
| Northern California CoCs: | |||||
| CA-501 | San Francisco CoC | 4,354 | 3,400 | -954 | -21.9 |
| CA-502 | Oakland, Berkeley/Alameda County CoC | 6,343 | 5,202 | -1,141 | -18.0 |
| CA-503 | Sacramento City & County CoC | 3,944 | 4,205 | +261 | +6.7 |
| CA-504 | Santa Rosa, Petaluma/Sonoma County CoC | 1,123 | 1,098 | -25 | -2.2 |
| CA-505 | Richmond/Contra Costa County CoC | 1,278 | 1,312 | +34 | +2.7 |
| CA-507 | Marin County CoC | 788 | 831 | +43 | +5.5 |
| CA-508 | Watsonville/Santa Cruz City & County CoC | 1,122 | 1,290 | +168 | +15.0 |
| CA-512 | Daly City/San Mateo County CoC | 1,145 | 1,145 | 0 | 0.0 |
| CA-515 | Roseville, Rocklin/Placer County CoC | 418 | 337 | -81 | -19.4 |
| CA-516 | Redding/Shasta County CoC | 1,401 | 1,457 | +56 | +4.0 |
| CA-517 | Napa City & County CoC | 175 | 206 | +31 | +17.7 |
| CA-518 | Vallejo/Solano County CoC | 1,436 | 1,271 | -165 | -11.5 |
| CA-521 | Davis, Woodland/Yolo County CoC | 633 | 597 | -36 | -5.7 |
| CA-522 | Humboldt County CoC | 1,194 | 1,011 | -183 | -15.3 |
| CA-523 | Colusa, Glenn, Trinity Counties CoC | 74 | 61 | -13 | -17.6 |
| CA-525 | El Dorado County CoC | 135 | 131 | -4 | -2.7 |
| CA-529 | Lake County CoC | 272 | 331 | -31 | -8.6 |
| CA-531 | Nevada County CoC | 264 | 217 | -47 | -17.8 |
| Sub-Total: | 26,099 | 24,102 | -1,997 | -7.7 | |
| Central California CoCs: | |||||
| CA-506 | Salinas/Monterey, San Benito Counties CoC | 2,379 | 1,657 | -722 | -30.3 |
| CA-510 | Turlock, Modesto/Stanislaus County CoC | 950 | 687 | -263 | -27.7 |
| CA-511 | Stockton/San Joaquin County CoC | 3,469 | 1,838 | -1,631 | -47.0 |
| CA-513 | Visalia/Kings, Tulare Counties CoC | 1,135 | 877 | -258 | -22.7 |
| CA-514 | Fresno City & County/Madera County CoC | 3,042 | 1,619 | -1,423 | -46.8 |
| CA-520 | Merced City & County CoC | 346 | 345 | -1 | 0.0 |
| CA-526 | Tuolumne, Amador, Calaveras, Mariposa Counties CoC (Central Sierra CoC) | 525 | 271 | -254 | -48.4 |
| CA-530 | Alpine, Inyo, Mono Counties CoC | 98 | 110 | +12 | +12.2 |
| Sub-Total: | 11,944 | 7,404 | -4,540 | -38.0 | |
| Southern California CoCs: | |||||
| CA-600 | Los Angeles City & County CoC | 44,415 | 45,968 | +1,553 | +3.5 |
| CA-601 | San Diego City and County CoC | 5,714 | 5,108 | -606 | -10.6 |
| CA-602 | Santa Ana, Anaheim/Orange County CoC | 4,173 | 3,065 | -1,108 | -26.6 |
| CA-604 | Bakersfield/Kern County CoC | 1,393 | 1,465 | +72 | +5.2 |
| CA-606 | Long Beach CoC | 2,606 | 2,588 | -18 | -0.7 |
| CA-607 | Pasadena CoC | 342 | 322 | -20 | -5.8 |
| CA-609 | San Bernardino City & County CoC | 2,620 | 2,448 | -172 | -6.6 |
| CA-611 | Oxnard, San Buenaventura/Ventura County CoC | 1,274 | 1,081 | -193 | -15.1 |
| CA-612 | Glendale CoC | 87 | 124 | +37 | +42.5 |
| CA-613 | Imperial County CoC | 1,366 | 1,055 | -311 | -22.8 |
| CA-614 | San Luis Obispo County | 800 | 666 | -134 | -16.8 |
| Sub-Total: | 64,790 | 63,890 | -900 | -1.4 | |
| Total: | 102,833 | 95,396 | -7,437 | -7.2 | |
Sheltered Count Comparison
As noted by HUD, CoCs must count all individuals or families who meet the criteria in paragraph (1)(ii) of the homeless definition in 24 CFR 578.3. This includes individuals and families “living in a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements (including congregate shelters, transitional housing, and hotels and motels paid for by charitable organizations or by federal, state, or local government programs for low-income individuals)” on the night designated for the count. This includes individuals residing in Safe Haven projects.
Table 3 shows that the 37 CoCs collectively counted 804 or 1.4% more persons as sheltered in 2026 when compared to the number of persons they counted as sheltered in 2025.
Table 3 also provides regional sheltered sub-total comparisons for CoCs located in Northern California, Central California, and Southern California:
- The 18 Northern California CoCs collectively counted 1,160 or 7.1% more persons in 2026.
- The 8 Central California CoCs collectively counted 129 or 2.2% more persons in 2026.
- The 11 Southern California CoCs collectively counted 485 or 1.3% fewer persons in 2026.
Table 3. Sheltered Count Comparison
|
CoC # |
Continuums of Care (CoCs) |
2025
Sheltered Count |
2026
Sheltered Count |
Difference | |
| # | % | ||||
| Northern California CoCs: | |||||
| CA-501 | San Francisco CoC | 4,317 | 4,573 | +256 | +5.9 |
| CA-502 | Oakland, Berkeley/Alameda County CoC | 2,909 | 2,999 | +90 | +3.1 |
| CA-503 | Sacramento City & County CoC | 3,051 | 3,253 | +202 | +6.6 |
| CA-504 | Santa Rosa, Petaluma/Sonoma County CoC | 829 | 853 | +24 | +2.9 |
| CA-505 | Richmond/Contra Costa County CoC | 840 | 948 | +108 | +12.9 |
| CA-507 | Marin County CoC | 293 | 297 | +4 | +1.4 |
| CA-508 | Watsonville/Santa Cruz City & County CoC | 351 | 358 | +7 | +2.0 |
| CA-512 | Daly City/San Mateo County CoC | 1,002 | 1,095 | +93 | +9.3 |
| CA-515 | Roseville, Rocklin/Placer County CoC | 293 | 305 | +12 | +4.1 |
| CA-516 | Redding/Shasta County CoC | 928 | 1,141 | +213 | +23.0 |
| CA-517 | Napa City & County CoC | 199 | 222 | +23 | +11.6 |
| CA-518 | Vallejo/Solano County CoC | 168 | 272 | +104 | +61.9 |
| CA-521 | Davis, Woodland/Yolo County CoC | 332 | 315 | -17 | -5.1 |
| CA-522 | Humboldt County CoC | 295 | 372 | +77 | +26.1 |
| CA-523 | Colusa, Glenn, Trinity Counties CoC | 153 | 108 | -45 | -29.4 |
| CA-525 | El Dorado County CoC | 154 | 147 | -7 | -4.5 |
| CA-529 | Lake County CoC | 111 | 152 | +41 | +36.9 |
| CA-531 | Nevada County CoC | 202 | 177 | -25 | -12.4 |
| Sub-Total: | 16,427 | 17,587 | +1,160 | +7.1 | |
| Central California CoCs: | |||||
| CA-506 | Salinas/Monterey, San Benito Counties CoC | 668 | 683 | +15 | +2.2 |
| CA-510 | Turlock, Modesto/Stanislaus County CoC | 1,136 | 1,104 | -32 | -2.8 |
| CA-511 | Stockton/San Joaquin County CoC | 1,291 | 1,468 | +177 | +13.7 |
| CA-513 | Visalia/Kings, Tulare Counties CoC | 337 | 421 | +84 | +24.9 |
| CA-514 | Fresno City & County/Madera County CoC | 1,863 | 1,635 | -228 | -12.2 |
| CA-520 | Merced City & County CoC | 365 | 403 | +38 | +10.4 |
| CA-526 | Tuolumne, Amador, Calaveras, Mariposa Counties CoC (Central Sierra CoC) | 283 | 380 | +97 | +34.3 |
| CA-530 | Alpine, Inyo, Mono Counties CoC | 26 | 4 | -22 | -84.6 |
| Sub-Total: | 5,969 | 6,098 | +129 | +2.2 | |
| Southern California CoCs: | |||||
| CA-600 | Los Angeles City & County CoC | 23,503 | 22,608 | -895 | -3.8 |
| CA-601 | San Diego City and County CoC | 4,191 | 4,695 | +504 | +12.0 |
| CA-602 | Santa Ana, Anaheim/Orange County CoC | 3,537 | 3,256 | -281 | -7.9 |
| CA-604 | Bakersfield/Kern County CoC | 1,213 | 1,225 | +12 | +1.0 |
| CA-606 | Long Beach CoC | 989 | 1,141 | +152 | +15.4 |
| CA-607 | Pasadena CoC | 239 | 255 | +16 | +6.7 |
| CA-609 | San Bernardino City & County CoC | 1,201 | 1,270 | +69 | +5.7 |
| CA-611 | Oxnard, San Buenaventura/Ventura County CoC | 716 | 674 | -42 | -5.7 |
| CA-612 | Glendale CoC | 110 | 96 | -14 | -12.7 |
| CA-613 | Imperial County CoC | 210 | 190 | -20 | -9.5 |
| CA-614 | San Luis Obispo County | 438 | 452 | +14 | +3.2 |
| Sub-Total: | 36,347 | 35,862 | -485 | -1.3 | |
| Total: | 58,743 | 59,547 | +804 | +1.4 | |
California’s Final Count Results
When HUD officially releases total homeless count results and related subpopulation data for each Continuum of Care (CoC) and state via the HUD Exchange’s CoC Homeless Populations and Subpopulations Reports, California’s official 2026 totals will include the following:
Total Homeless Count
- The total number of persons collectively counted as unsheltered and sheltered by the 37 CoCs that completed an unsheltered and sheltered count in 2026; and
- The total number of persons collectively counted as sheltered by the 7 CoCs that only completed a sheltered count in 2026, and the total number of persons these 7 CoCs collectively counted as unsheltered in 2025. In other words, because HUD does not require CoCs to complete an unsheltered count every year, but requires an unsheltered count to be conducted biennially, HUD will add the 2025 unsheltered count to the 2026 sheltered count as the total 2026 homeless count for each of the 7 CoCs.
Total Unsheltered Count
- The total number of persons collectively counted as unsheltered by the 37 CoCs that completed an unsheltered and sheltered count in 2026; and
- The total number of persons collectively counted as unsheltered in 2025 by the 7 CoCs that only completed a sheltered count in 2026. Because HUD does not require CoCs to complete an unsheltered count every year, but requires an unsheltered count to be conducted biennially, HUD will add the 2025 unsheltered counts submitted to HUD last year by the 7 CoCs to the 2026 unsheltered counts completed by the 37 CoCs that completed an unsheltered and sheltered count in 2026.
Total Sheltered Count
- The total number of persons collectively counted as sheltered by the 37 CoCs that completed an unsheltered and sheltered count in 2026; and
- The total number of persons collectively counted as sheltered by the 7 CoCs that only completed a sheltered count in 2026.
A comparison of HUD’s officially released CA 2026 total homeless count results will reveal
- a statewide decrease in the total number of people counted as unsheltered and sheltered when compared to HUD’s officially released CA 2025 total unsheltered and sheltered homeless count;
- a statewide decrease in the total number of people counted as unsheltered when compared to HUD’s officially released CA 2025 total unsheltered homeless count; and
- a statewide increase in the total number of people counted as sheltered when compared to HUD’s officially released CA 2025 total sheltered homeless count.