The D.C. region, as a whole, saw homelessness decrease slightly this year over 2024, according to the done by area jurisdictions.
The count, done by volunteers and others on two nights, found 9,659 people experiencing homelessness in the region 鈥� down 115 people from last year.
鈥淭his year’s results suggest we may be stabilizing, at least as a region,鈥� Stefan Caine, chair of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Homelessness Services Committee, said at a Board of Directors meeting on Wednesday.
“For the first time since the pandemic, the region count has leveled off a bit and remains still slightly lower than our pre-COVID levels.”
The tally was fueled by decreases in the number of people experiencing homelessness counted in D.C., Alexandria, Loudoun County and Prince George鈥檚 County. The four remaining jurisdictions 鈥� Arlington, Fairfax, Montgomery and Prince William counties 鈥� all saw increases.
Montgomery County saw the biggest increase to 1,510 people, or 32%, experiencing homelessness, compared to 1,144 last year.
While numbers remain down from pre-COVID numbers, the total for the region went up by 1,573 individuals since the count done in January 2021.
When it comes to chronic homelessness among single adults, the region saw a 9% decrease to 1,965 people since 2021. Chronic homelessness is described as people with a disability who have a history of homelessness.
The report cited 鈥渢he lack of deeply affordable and available housing options鈥� as a factor in the results.
鈥淎ccess to permanent and those deep housing subsidies is really what makes a difference in ensuring that we’re able to make sustained progress for this population,鈥� Caine said.
About 318 unhoused veterans were also counted in the report, which is a 3% decrease over last year.
A closer look at the numbers shows troubling results when it comes to families, with an increase of 52% since 2021. Children account for 2,111 of those experiencing homelessness.
鈥淐learly rising housing costs, inflation, stagnant wages make it pretty tough for families to stay housed in our region,鈥� Caine said.
Unaccompanied minors experiencing homelessness remained low, with a total of 10, which is down from sixteen last year.
The Point-in-Time, or PIT, count also looks at the demographics of those counted, and this year鈥檚 report showed a large disparity when it comes to race and ethnicity 鈥� 75% of single unhoused residents were Black and 91% of families counted were Black.
鈥淗ousing policies, like redlining and exclusionary zoning and other racially restrictive covenants, along with just inequities that we know to exist in employment and policing, access to credit and beyond have led to long-term divestment in communities of color, and of course, that has increased the risk of housing instability,鈥� Caine said.
When it comes to gender, 68% of single adults are men and 88% of adults in families were women. Also, 12% of those counted identified as LGBTQ+.
Those counted were also asked about their life experience. Almost half of adults in families said they were survivors of domestic violence and more than 41% of adults said they previously resided in an institutional setting, including treatment programs, hospitalization or the justice system before becoming homeless.
Mental illness and substance abuse were among the struggles listed for people experiencing chronic homelessness.
As the region continues to tackle homelessness, one tool provides more real-time data beyond this annual account.
The expansion of the Built for Zero system, which allows jurisdictions to update information on the homeless population in real time, will see multiple area counties providing data. COG says that will allow the region to not only better respond to homelessness but also respond quicker.
鈥淲ith a more integrated system, we can ensure that people are connected to the right services more quickly, that resources are deployed more equitably, and that regional strategies are grounded in timely, person-centered information,鈥� said Elizabeth Young, deputy chief of policy and programs at the Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness in D.C.
Some concerns heading into next year surround funding for programs that address homelessness, as the proposed federal budget includes cuts to programs.
Christine Hong, chief of services to End and Prevent Homelessness for the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, said the budget in front of Congress calls for cuts to rental assistance and public housing programs by more than 40%.
鈥淲e need to prepare. These cuts would severely destabilize local efforts, force the termination of long-term housing supports and risk pushing people back into homelessness,” Hong said.
Hong also claims proposed cuts to Medicaid, SNAP and mental and behavioral health could also lead to eviction and homelessness for some.
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