Homelessness has declined only slightly in San Diego County, according to the results of an annual count released Friday, and shifts within the numbers offer reasons for both hope and despair.
The 2026 Point-in-Time Count, or PIT Count, is an annual census that tracks homelessness across America. Locally, approximately 1,700 volunteers assembled at over 50 sites throughout San Diego County in late January to touch base with people where they could be found – sleeping on the streets, in shelters, cars and more.
Overall, they found that homelessness stayed almost level in 2026, with the total only falling by 1% after a 7% drop in 2025.
Yet positive developments can be found within the data. Unsheltered homelessness dropped, as shown by the 12% increase in people finding shelter. In the city’s central areas, there has been a 7% drop in people living unsheltered.
Tamara Kohler is CEO of the Regional Task Force on Homelessness, the organization that oversees the census. As a longtime resident of downtown, she finds this year’s results encouraging…