San Diego County saw another decrease in the number of people experiencing homelessness this year, according to the 2026 We All Count Point in Time Count.
New data from the Regional Task Force on Homelessness shows progress in unincorporated communities and partner cities where the County has expanded housing, outreach and prevention programs.
Hundreds of County employees volunteered in the early morning hours of Jan. 29 to help document the number of people living without shelter across the region.
This year’s count found:
- 150 people unsheltered in unincorporated areas — a 16% drop from 2025 and the lowest total in 13 years.
- 9,803 people unsheltered regionwide, a 1% decrease from last year.
- 4,695 people sheltered, a 12% increase as more residents access regional services.
To expand emergency and bridge housing, the County’s Office of Homeless Solutions has:
- Provided $10 million in capital grants to partner cities.
- Operated programs that serve about 250 households nightly.
- Broken ground on the Troy Street Sleeping Cabins, which began construction in April.
The report also shows a 26% decrease in homelessness among transitional age youth, supported by the County’s $3.6 million annual investment in the Housing Our Youth Program.
Several partner cities saw significant reductions in homelessness following coordinated efforts with the County:
- Lemon Grove: 50% decrease after a yearlong County outreach pilot and coordinated transition to City’s encampment resolution housing efforts.
- Santee: 64% decrease, supported by County-led $17 million Encampment Resolution state grant serving communities along the San Diego riverbed.
- San Marcos: 76% decrease through joint efforts between the County, the City, local schools and the Sheriff’s Department.
The County also administers programs that help people stay housed or avoid homelessness. These include HomeSafe for older adults, the Housing and Disability Advocacy Program, Community Care Coordination services for people leaving custody, and housing programs that support LGBTQ+ residents.
In partnership with the City of San Diego and the Regional Task Force on Homelessness, the County secures about $50 million annually in state homelessness funding. The County also helped secure $22 million in Encampment Resolution Grant funding in collaboration with local cities and Caltrans.
To prevent homelessness, the County has invested nearly $1.5 million in diversion funds and supports eviction prevention and shallow rental subsidy programs.
The County’s Housing for all Hub offers public dashboards showing progress across programs and access to additional housing resources, services and data.
Since 2017, the County of San Diego has invested more than $334 million in affordable housing, leveraging excess County land and the Innovative Housing Trust Fund along with other state, federal and local sources. These efforts have created more than 3,445 homes, with another 2,600 currently in development.
