CHATTANOOGA, Tenn — A new report paints a sobering picture of homelessness across Southeast Tennessee, showing a 12% year-over-year increase in people without stable housing and highlighting critical gaps in shelter, healthcare, and affordable housing.
The Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition’s 2025 State of Homelessness Report, which surveys an 11-county region including Hamilton, Bradley, and McMinn counties, reveals that 1,092 individuals were homeless on a single night in January 2025, up from 975 the year before. Read the full report at the bottom of this story.
The report reveals several notable year-over-year changes across Southeast Tennessee, reflecting both worsening challenges and areas of meaningful progress.
Most strikingly, the report found total number of individuals experiencing homelessness increased by 12%, rising from 975 people in the 2024 Point-in-Time Count to 1,092 in 2025. This marks a significant uptick in overall homelessness, driven in part by rising housing costs, a lack of affordable rentals, and gaps in mental health and healthcare access…