Increases and Decreases in Point-in-Time Homelessness Varies by Region in California

Joe Colletti, PhD//January 6, 2025
Last Updated January 6, 2025 /

Increases and Decreases in Point-in-Time Homelessness Varies by Region in California

 2024 California Homeless Count Results Released By HUD Reveal a
Statewide Increase of 3.1% When Compared to 2023 Homeless Count Results

A comparison by region reveals
a decrease (0.3%) for Northern California CoCs
an increase (23.3%) for Central California CoCs
an increase (2.5%) for Southern California CoCs. 

A comparison by region also reveals
Southern California CoCs counted 59.6% of the state’s total 2024 count
Northern California CoCs counted 31.4% of the state’s the total 2024 count
Central California CoCs counted 9.0% of the state’s total 2024 count

The total count of sheltered and unsheltered persons for California’s 44 CoCs was 187,084 persons in 2024, which represents an increase of 5,685 persons or 3.1% when compared to the total count of 181,399 persons in 2023, as noted in Table 1.

Click here to see a regional map of CoCs.

A regional comparison, also noted in Table 1, reveals that the total sheltered and unsheltered count for the

  • 24 Northern California CoCs was 58,755 persons in 2024 representing a decrease of 189 persons or 0.3% when compared to the total count of 58,944 persons in 2023.
  • 7 Central California CoCs was 16,761 persons in 2024 representing an increase of 3,169 persons or 23.3% when compared to the total count of 13,592 persons in 2023.
  • 13 Southern California CoCs was 111,568 persons in 2024 representing an increase of 2,705 persons or 2.5% when compared to the total count of 108,863 persons in 2023.

Total Count

Table 2 shows that Southern California CoCs represented 60.0 percent of the state total count in 2023, which slightly decreased to 59.6% in 2024. The percentage of the state total count for Northern California CoCs slightly decreased from 32.5% in 2023 to 31.4% in 2024. Central California CoCs experienced a 1.5% increase from 7.5% in 2023 to 9.0% in 2024.

Unsheltered Count

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.

The total unsheltered count for California’s 44 CoCs was 123,974 persons in 2024 representing a slight increase of 551 persons or 0.45% when compared to the total unsheltered count of 123,423 persons in 2023, as noted in Table 3.

A regional comparison, as noted in Table 3, reveals that the total unsheltered count for the

  • 24 Northern California CoCs was 37,805 persons in 2024 representing a decrease of 2,398 persons or 6.0% when compared to the total count of 40,203 persons in 2023.
  • 7 Central California CoCs was 11,424 persons in 2024 representing an increase of 3,184 persons or 38.6% when compared to the total count of 8,240 persons in 2023.
  • 13 Southern California CoCs was 74,745 persons in 2024 representing a decrease of 235 persons or 0.3% when compared to the total count of 74,980 persons in 2023.

Note: HUD requires CoCs to complete a sheltered count every year but does not require an unsheltered count every year. However, HUD does require an unsheltered count every other year. There are 7 CoCs that completed an unsheltered count in 2023 but did not complete an unsheltered count in 2024 and they are listed in blue text below. Of the 7 CoCs, 5 were Northern California CoCs, 1 was a Central California CoC, and 1 was a Southern California CoC.

Sheltered Count

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.

The total sheltered count for California’s 44 CoCs was 63,110 persons in 2024 representing an increase of 5,134 persons or 8.8% when compared to the total sheltered count of 57,976 persons in 2023, as noted in Table 4.

A regional comparison, as noted in Table 4, reveals that the total sheltered count for the

  • 24 Northern California CoCs was 20,950 persons in 2024 representing an increase of 2,209 persons or 11.8% when compared to the total count of 18,741 persons in 2023.
  • 7 Central California CoCs was 5,337 persons in 2024 representing a decrease of 15 persons or 0.3% when compared to the total count of 5,352 persons in 2023.
  • 13 Southern California CoCs was 36,823 persons in 2024 representing an increase of 2,940 persons or 8.7% when compared to the total count of 33,883 persons in 2023.

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