Homelessness Continues to Significantly Increase
in California According to January 2020 Homeless Counts
--Count results are pre-pandemic--
--HUD likely to release official count results by end of year--
In 2020, 22 of the 44 California Continuums of Care (CoCs) conducted an unsheltered and sheltered homeless count in January and publicly reported and/or shared their results with Urban Initiatives to be included in this report. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) does not require CoCs to complete an unsheltered count in even-number years.

The other 22 CoCs conducted a sheltered count. HUD will combine their 2020 sheltered counts with their 2019 unsheltered counts and report their totals as their 2020 sheltered and unsheltered homeless count. 

HUD will likely post the 44 California CoC homeless counts, along with all the counts conducted in January by every CoC throughout the country, at CoC Homeless Populations and Subpopulations Reports by the end of the year. 

Of the 22 California CoCs that conducted an unsheltered and sheltered homeless count, 17 or more than three-fourths (77.3%) counted more persons as homeless in 2020 when compared to the number of persons counted in 2019 and are shaded red in the map below. Five or 22.7% of the 22 CoCs, counted less persons as homeless in 2020 when compared to 2019 and are shaded blue in the map below.

The aforementioned 22 CoCs counted 93,098 persons as unsheltered and sheltered in 2019 and 103,014 in 2020, which represents an increase of nearly 10,000 persons (9,916) or 10.7%. 

A table follows the map below that compares the total number of persons
counted as homeless by the 22 CoCs that conducted an unsheltered count in 2019
and 2020 and notes the 22 CoCs that did not conduct an unsheltered count in 2020

Click here for a pdf copy of the map.
Table 1 compares the total number of persons counted as homeless by the 22 CoCs that conducted an unsheltered count in 2019 and 2020 and notes the 22 CoCs that did not conduct an unsheltered count in 2020.
2021 Homeless Count

An unsheltered count in January 2021 would help determine the impact of the pandemic on homelessness in California. Homelessness likely increased in California since January, particularly due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. A homelessness pandemic may be looming because of a surge in evictions. Presently, an estimated 30–40 million people in the United States could be at risk of eviction in the next several months.

HUD, however, has not yet announced whether CoCs will be required to conduct an unsheltered count or not because of safety concerns related to COVID-19. An announcement is expected soon. A sheltered count will be required.

If required, HUD has indicated that an unsheltered count may only include a “head-count” instead of collecting additional information from adults experiencing homelessness as in the past such as gender, age, race, ethnicity, and other subpopulation data such as veteran status and chronic homelessness.

More persons will likely be counted as homeless in 2021 when compared to the number of persons counted as homeless in 2020, especially if extra effort is put into locating and counting persons living in vehicles. Often, persons live out of their vehicles when they first become homeless and unable to live with friends and families and initially refuse to live in shelters.

Persons living in vehicles such as cars, vans, trucks, and recreational vehicles (RV) in disrepair or with limited or no access to water, electricity and sewer connections have been required by HUD to be included in unsheltered counts. Pre-identifying known locations where vehicles are parked at night to help ensure persons living in vehicles are counted in 2021 is key to determining the impact of the pandemic on unsheltered homelessness in California.
You are encouraged to comment about this post. Please click here to comment.

which includes other reports regarding homelessness and housing.

Learn more about the Hub for Urban Initiatives.
Join our Mailing List