California's homeless population still increasing but at slower pace
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San Francisco, like many other California cities, has struggled to address its yearslong homelessness crisis. Photo: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
California's homeless population is still rising, but the rate of increase appears to be slowing.
Why it matters: The state's homeless population remains the largest in the nation, but the new figures indicate the crisis is worsening at a slower pace than the rest of the country.
By the numbers: The unhoused population in California increased by over 3% last year compared with the prior year, federal data shows.
- That's in sharp contrast to the rate of growth for the overall U.S. homeless population, which recorded a roughly 18% increase.
- Over 20 states saw their homeless populations increase by 10% or higher, including Oregon and Washington. Only six had a decline.
- Meanwhile, the number of people living without shelter in California — like in tents or cars — rose by roughly 0.5% compared with almost 7% nationwide.
Context: The findings come by way of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which issues an annual report on the estimated number of people experiencing homelessness on a single night to provide a snapshot for policymakers.
Zoom in: About 187,000 people in California slept on the streets or in shelters as of January 2024, when the point-in-time count took place.
- Young people who were homeless without a parent or guardian fell 11% in the state.
- The number of unhoused veterans and people experiencing chronic patterns of homelessness — a term that describes people who have a disability and have been homeless for an extended period of time — also decreased.
Yes, but: Nearly a quarter of all unhoused people in the U.S. live in California.
- The state still accounts for 28% of all homeless veterans and 44% of all Americans who experience chronic patterns of homelessness.
- 66% of California's homeless population was "sleeping in places not meant for human habitation," such as abandoned buildings and public parks — the highest in any state despite a nearly 6% uptick in shelter bed capacity, per the HUD report.
What they're saying: "Homelessness continues to rise ... nationwide, but we are seeing signs of progress in California," Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement.
- "We have turned the tide on a decades-long increase in homelessness — but we have more work to do," Newsom said.
Caveat: The numbers don't reflect the whole picture.
- Each county conducts the count differently — San Francisco's was reportedly haphazard last year — and relies on volunteers, outreach workers and government employees who often get varying levels of training.
The big picture: Local and state officials have taken a more hardline stance on homeless encampments since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last June that cities have the authority to enact restrictive laws targeting outdoor camping.
- Local advocates have also accused San Francisco of violating unhoused people's rights by destroying their property and unlawfully endangering their lives.