Orange County’s homeless population has grown by 15.8% from the 2019 to 2024 OC PIT Count. The Point‑in‑Time Count, a federal survey conducted every two years, captures a snapshot of homelessness on specific nights each survey year. The 2019, 2022, and 2024 counts show shifting trends that reflect economic pressures, a tougher growing housing market, as well as ongoing gaps in long‑term support systems.
The PIT Count, which occurs every two years, helps local officials gauge the extent of homelessness. The count shapes how funding and outreach efforts are planned and organized. It remains one of the main tools used across the county to track homelessness trends.
In the 2019 Orange County PIT, volunteers surveyed 6,860 people experiencing homelessness. Of those, 2,899 were staying in shelters, and 3,961 were living without shelter. This count became the baseline by creating a system within Orange County Jurisdiction to respond and assist the Homeless Population, before the COVID‑19 outbreak reshaped housing stability, public health responses, and how shelters across the county operated…