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4mo ago

San Diego County Reports First Decline in Homelessness Since Pandemic

The 2025 Point-in-Time Count reveals a 7% drop in homelessness, but rising vehicle homelessness and funding uncertainties pose challenges.

Image
A homeless encampment off the I-5 in downtown San Diego, California. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
City workers clear a massive homeless encampment beneath the Interstate 5 overpass by the San Diego River on Nov. 7, 2024. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Overview

  • The 2025 Point-in-Time Count recorded 9,905 homeless individuals in San Diego County, down from 10,605 in 2024—a 7% decrease and the first decline in years.
  • Unsheltered homelessness fell by 6.5%, with 5,714 people living without shelter, while the number of individuals in shelters dropped by 7% to 4,191.
  • Significant reductions were seen among veterans (25%), families (18.5%), and young adults aged 18-24 (20%), attributed to targeted interventions like housing vouchers and diversion programs.
  • Vehicle homelessness increased by 7%, with 1,177 individuals now living in their cars, highlighting uneven progress across subpopulations.
  • Local leaders credit investments in shelters, safe-parking sites, and housing assistance for the progress but warn of looming federal and state budget cuts that could reverse gains.