Santa Barbara County has reported a minor fall in the total number of homeless people, but challenges remain.
While overall homelessness in the region declined in 2025, county officials said longer periods without housing and a spike in youth homelessness were key challenges. This comes as the county has launched a new strategy to prevent homelessness.
During its meeting on July 14, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors reviewed the Community Services Department’s 2026 homelessness report, which highlighted recent trends, funding challenges, and the rollout of the Santa Barbara County Homelessness Alliance Response and Prevention (HARP)…