Preliminary 2026 Point-in-Time count maintains last year’s 23% reduction in homelessness

The preliminary 2026 Point-in-Time Count, conducted across Sonoma County the morning of Jan. 30, remains at the same level as last year, with 1,951 people experiencing homelessness — one fewer person than from the 2025 PIT Count. This year’s number preserves last year’s 23% drop in people experiencing homelessness, which was the lowest number since the PIT Count began in 2007 and a reduction of 507 unsheltered individuals in 2024.

“Considering the precariousness of the economy and the state and federal funding losses we’ve already experienced, I am heartened by the fact that this didn’t translate to more people being unsheltered in our county,” said Supervisor Rebecca Hermosillo, chair of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. “We’re fortunate that a number of new permanent housing programs and sites opened last year that have undoubtedly contributed to keeping the number flat.”

The full PIT Count report, which will include a breakdown of the count by cities and regions, as well as demographic data and causes of homelessness, will be made available in the fall.

“The story the numbers tell this year is about the expertise of our teams and partners,” said Director of the Sonoma County Health Services Department Nolan Sullivan. “Last year, our provider partners were asked to shoulder 17% cuts to budgets in response to decreased state funding and many of our own positions were left unfilled. We continue to face high levels of inflation, a low-wage job market and an expensive housing market. Despite those fiscal challenges, together with the community we’ve built new housing programs, implemented the Keep People Housed eviction prevention system and redesigned our Coordinated Entry process — ultimately achieving net zero year-to-year increases in homelessness. This is a testament to our community’s incredible efficacy, collaboration and sheer hard work in our effort to keep our neighbors inside.”

According to the PIT Count, the number of homeless individuals in unsheltered circumstances decreased from 1,123 in 2025 to 1,098 in 2026; at the same time, the number of individuals in sheltered circumstances increased from 829 in 2025 to 853 in 2026. “Unsheltered” individuals are defined as those who live in a place not meant for human habitation, such as cars, parks, sidewalks and abandoned buildings. “Sheltered” homelessness pertains to those who live in an emergency shelter or transitional housing. 

As required by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the 2026 count’s preliminary numbers include homeless subpopulations, two of which saw decreases and two of which saw increases. This year’s count found:

• The number of individuals experiencing “chronic homelessness,” defined as those who have been homeless for at least 12 months or on at least four separate occasions in the previous three years (and who have one or more disabling conditions), rose 12% over 2025.
• The number of homeless veterans remained level, with an increase of only five individuals.
• There was a large reduction in the number of homeless families (identified as having at least one adult over 18 with at least one child under 18) experiencing homelessness, from 78 to 42 (46%). All families were found to be in sheltered settings in 2026.
• The number of homeless youth increased from 115 to 168 or 46% in 2026, reflecting 11 unaccompanied children (persons under the age of 18 without parents) and 157 transition-age youth ages 18–24.

This was the second year that the count included use of the “By-Name List” for all five regions of the county. The By-Name List, part of the Homeless Coalition’s Five-Year Strategic Plan on Homelessness, is a live data tool by name of individuals experiencing homelessness that is used to coordinate services. This tool increases the validity of the PIT Count as surveyors were able to locate individuals more accurately, and it also provides an ongoing snapshot throughout the year. For example, the countywide By-Name List count on June 17, 2026 was 2,196.

“It’s certainly welcome news that the PIT Count did not increase this year and that we were able to hold onto the previous year’s significant decrease,” said Ending Homelessness program manager Michael Gause. “That said, the ongoing reductions at the state and federal levels and broader economic headwinds probably means that stasis was short lived, as illustrated by the higher current By-Name List count. There is a lot more work to be done.”

How the count was done

The 2026 count was conducted in a manner similar to recent years. All deployments were in person by volunteers, paid homeless guides and professional outreach teams, and maps were chosen ahead of time by city and nonprofit partners in all areas of the county where individuals experiencing homelessness were known to be. Community volunteers also were involved in selecting maps to ensure countywide coverage. 

The PIT Count is based on visual observations of unsheltered individuals and groups, as well as a census of people in shelters; as a result, it provides a snapshot of homelessness at a single point in time. It is a valuable tool, but County officials note that the By-Name List provides a more up-to-date count of the total number of people experiencing homelessness throughout the year.

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Media Contact:
Sheri Cardo
DHS Communications Specialist
Sheri.Cardo@sonomacounty.gov
(707) 565-8619