It’s a case of good news/challenging news in the Monterey County 2026 Homelessness Point-In-Time Count, released Wednesday, July 29. The overall number of people considered homeless is down 15 percent from the 2024 PIT count, unsheltered homelessness is down 23 percent.
It’s something to celebrate, said Roxanne Wilson, Monterey County Homeless Services Director during a County of Monterey media briefing on Wednesday.
And yet, one data point is a concern: The number of people experiencing homelessness for the first time shot up from 24 percent in 2024 to 60 percent.
The PIT Count conducted on Jan. 30 by the Coalition of Homeless Service Providers found 2,073 total people experiencing homelessness compared to 2,436 in 2024. It was the third decrease among the last four counts.
“We’re very proud of the work that is happening in this community. It does demonstrate that all of the different sectors are beginning to close the gaps and we are all doing exactly what the funding is asking us to do,” Wilson said. “We’re looking at unsheltered homelessness, decreasing overall homelessness and increasing the number of individuals we are pulling into services.”
And yet the fact that the number of people experiencing homelessness for the first time dramatically increased is a concern.
“What this means to us is that although we’re doing a great job at serving individuals who are currently unsheltered, we really do need to increase resources to address the pipeline into homelessness,” Wilson said. “Housing is becoming incredibly unreachable in the community and other coastal communities of California.”
The news could get more challenging with a shift by the Trump Administration away from funding the rapid rehousing and “Housing First” policies of the past toward shelters and temporary housing.
On June 1, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development acted to reduce approximately $1.23 billion to house formerly unhoused people, many families with children, people with health conditions or disabilities and older adults.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness estimated that at least 97,000 residents currently in subsidized housing could lose their housing as a result. “Importantly, this is a low-end estimate,” the nonprofit stated in a press release.
Wilson said there were multiple changes they were bracing for, not just from the federal government but after Gov. Gavin Newsom leaves office and a new governor is sworn in after the Nov. 3 election. Newsom made ending homelessness a key priority during his time in office.
Despite the potential challenges ahead, Wilson chose to highlight the positives from the most recent count, including a reduction in veteran homelessness by 43 percent, as well as in chronic homelessness down 39 percent. Families experiencing homelessness was down 39 percent and down 37 percent among unaccompanied children and youth was down 37 percent.
In another large decrease, homelessness in the unincorporated county areas was down 72 percent, which Wilson directly attributed to encampment resolution grants, which saw the construction of new housing in King City and Soledad, as well as Watsonville to house people living along the banks of the Pajaro River along the border with Santa Cruz County.
Wilson also pointed out that nearly 90 percent of those experiencing homelessness were living in Monterey County, according to a survey taken during the PIT count, not people migrating from other counties as might be popularly thought.
The survey also reported that 50 percent of participants were Hispanic/Latino, 30 percent were white and 10 percent were Black, African American or African. Seventy percent were male, 30 percent female. The greatest number by age group was 35-44 (25 percent), followed by 55-64 (22 percent), 45-54 (18 percent) and 25-34 (13 percent). Those aged 65 and up made up 8 percent of the population, with 18-24 year olds at 7 percent, and children also at 7 percent.
Cost of living was listed as the primary condition that led to homelessness (37 percent), followed closely by a lost job (36 percent). Alcohol or drug use (25 percent), an argument with a family or friend (20 percent) and eviction (21 percent) were also listed.