Reporting shows reduced homelessness in communities throughout California
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Aug 18, 2025

Reporting shows reduced homelessness in communities throughout California

What you need to know: Communities throughout California are reporting declines in homelessness, helping continue California's progress in reducing homelessness as national numbers increase even higher, and as President Trump flails in his attempts to address it.

SACRAMENTO — Cities throughout California are reporting reductions in unsheltered homelessness as California succeeds in its efforts to address this national crisis. Through Governor Newsom's support of local government efforts and state investments, California is reversing decades of inaction on homelessness. These announcements continue progress from last year's 2024 point-in-time count, which showed that California had outperformed the nation by slowing down the increase in homelessness.

As President Trump pulls away national guard members from important work such as preventing terrorism and stopping fentanyl at our border, and instead orders them to arbitrarily rouse and bulldoze encampments —- without providing help and support to people experiencing homelessness — California is advancing a smarter strategy.

"I have been clear that I expect every community to address encampments and help get people off the streets and the support they need. My administration has provided unprecedented support. Addressing encampments means more than just sweeping them up, which is why California has developed a comprehensive and effective approach to end the mental health epidemic, create more shelter, and support our communities to get people into a safe home."

Governor Gavin Newsom

Communities reporting reduced homelessness

Each year, local governments conduct point-in-time counts in January with final numbers reported in December. While the preliminary data reported by communities has not yet been verified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, initial reporting by locals is encouraging and may indicate an overall statewide decrease in homelessness.

Some of California's largest communities are reporting substantial decreases in homelessness numbers – indicating that California's comprehensive and strategic approach to reversing this national crisis and getting people out of encampments is working. The broad scope of positive reports points to good news for California when the final data in December is counted.

Many communities report dramatic reductions in unsheltered homelessness, indicating success in getting people out of encampments and into care. Other communities note a reduction in total homelessness, which includes both unsheltered and sheltered homelessness, suggesting that people may have exited homelessness. Data is reported through communities' continuums of care (CoCs), which are regional systems working with cities, counties, and community-serving organizations to coordinate and connect people with homeless services and support.

Here's where we are seeing reports of reduced homelessness.

• Los Angeles County (-9.5% unsheltered homelessness)
• Los Angeles City (-7.9% unsheltered homelessness)
• San Diego (-6.6% in total homelessness)
• San Diego City (-13.5% total homelessness)
• Riverside County CoC (-19% unsheltered homelessness)
• San Bernardino County CoC (-14.2% unsheltered homelessness)
• Sonoma CoC (-22.6% total homelessness)
• Contra Costa County CoC (-25.5% total homelessness)
• Ventura County CoC (-15.6% total homelessness)
• Watsonville/Santa Cruz City & County CoC (-20.4% total homelessness)
• Bakersfield / Kern County CoC (-2.3% total homelessness)
• Kings County (-26.7% total homelessness)
• Tulare County (-7.1% total homelessness)

An approach that works

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From the very first moments of the Newsom administration, the national crisis of housing and homelessness – which were decades in the making –  has been addressed with ingenuity, seriousness, and expertise. No other state has devoted as much time and attention to these twin problems. Governor Newsom is creating a structural and foundational model for America:

✅ Addressing mental health and its impact on homelessness — Ending a long-standing 7,000 behavioral health bed shortfall in California by rapidly expanding community treatment centers and permanent supportive housing units. In 2024, voters approved Governor Newsom's Proposition 1 which is transforming California's mental health systems with a $6.4 billion Behavioral Health Bond for treatment settings and housing with services for veterans and people experiencing homelessness, and reforming the Behavioral Health Services Act to focus on people with the most serious illnesses, provide care to people with substance disorders, and support their housing needs.

✅ Creating new pathways for those who need the most help — Updating conservatorship laws for the first time in 50 years to include people who are unable to provide for their personal safety or necessary medical care, in addition to food, clothing, or shelter, due to either severe substance use disorder or serious mental health illness. Creating a new CARE court system that creates court-ordered plans for up to 24 months for people struggling with untreated mental illness, and often substance use challenges.

✅ Streamlining and prioritizing building of new housing — Governor Newsom made creating more housing a state priority for the first time in history. He has signed into law groundbreaking reforms to break down systemic barriers that have stood in the way of building the housing Californians need, including broad CEQA reforms.

✅ Creating shelter and support — Providing funding and programs for local governments, coupled with strong accountability measures to ensure that each local government is doing its share to build housing, and create shelter and support, so that people rescued from encampments have a safe place to go.

✅ Removing dangerous encampments — Governor Newsom has set a strong expectation for all local governments to address encampments in their communities and help connect people with support. In 2024, Governor Newsom filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court defending communities' authority to clear encampments. After the Supreme Court affirmed local authority, Governor Newsom issued an executive order directing state entities and local governments to clear encampments and connect people with support, using a state-tested model that helps ensure encampments are addressed humanely and people are given adequate notice and support.

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Reversing a decades-in-the-making crisis

The Newsom administration is making significant progress in reversing decades of inaction on homelessness. Between 2014 and 2019—before Governor Newsom took office—unsheltered homelessness in California rose by approximately 37,000 people. Since then, under this Administration, California has significantly slowed that growth, even as many other states have seen worsening trends.

In 2024, while homelessness increased nationally by over 18%, California limited its overall increase to just 3% — a lower rate than in 40 other states. The state also held the growth of unsheltered homelessness to just 0.45%, compared to a national increase of nearly 7%. States like Florida, Texas, New York, and Illinois saw larger increases both in percentage and absolute numbers. California also achieved the nation's largest reduction in veteran homelessness and made meaningful progress in reducing youth homelessness.

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