Fewer people are experiencing homelessness in Houston
Communications Admin • June 12, 2013
However, more than 6,300 people need a stable home
Houston has seen a 29% drop in the homeless population both sheltered and unsheltered since 2011, stated Marilyn L. Brown, President & CEO of the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston and Harris County. And while that drop is something to celebrate, there were more than 6,300 people that were homeless during the evening of the 2013 Point-in-Time Homeless Count conducted under the auspices of the Coalition on January 29, 2013. The PIT Count is a federal requirement for all communities receiving funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The reason for this decline, said Brown, is that area homeless service providers are working collaboratively to help homeless individuals and families move into stable, permanent housing.
“Across the nation, homeless service providers have been charged by the federal government to move people from the streets and shelters into a housing environment tailored to their needs” said Brown. “Some individuals and families just need rent assistance, while others who are chronically homeless may need permanent housing that includes support such as help taking prescribed medication regularly or substance abuse counseling to prevent a return to homelessness.”
By federal definition, someone is considered chronically homeless if they experience four or more episodes of homelessness within a three-year period or one or more current consecutive years of homelessness. In addition, the individual must have a disabling condition that makes daily activities difficult, such as a medical or psychological condition or a substance abuse problem.
Houston area housing initiatives include Housing Houston’s Heroes, which has housed 557 homeless individuals and families, including 488 homeless veterans in the past year. Other efforts include joining the 100,000 Homes National Campaign, which helps identify and house chronically homeless individuals nationwide. In Houston, there are between 1500 and 2000 chronically homeless individuals.
Some Causes of Homelessness
Homelessness is a complex issue and effective efforts to prevent it require broad community participation. Triggers that may lead to homelessness include job loss, eviction, bills higher than earnings, domestic abuse, incarceration, mental and/or physical illness, drug and alcohol abuse or changes in family status.
YouthCount!
As part of a nine-city pilot program, the greater Houston area PIT 2013 Homeless Count focused on a specific subpopulation, emancipated youth under 24 years of age, entitled YouthCount! Data was collected by canvassing areas where teens and young adults congregate, along with a survey given to students thought to be homeless in area school districts. The results revealed that more than 160 youth were homeless and that the majority of these children were living doubled up with family members in apartments. Two out of five of these youth had experience with foster care, and many had “aged” out of the foster care system leading to their homelessness. One issue that has been identified is that there is a lack of housing for youth less than 18 years of age in this community.
Houston, Texas (February 24, 2026) – This week, the nonprofit Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County (CFTH) is leading the annual Point-in-Time Homeless Count & Survey (“PIT Count”) to determine the number of people experiencing homelessness across Houston and throughout Harris, Fort Bend, and Montgomery counties. “We may see a slight uptick in the number this year, but we have a plan,” said Kelly Young, President & CEO of CFTH. “With the support of the City of Houston, Harris County, and private funders, we have been piloting new interventions to shorten the length of time people in our region experience homelessness. With adequate funding, we look forward to expanding those interventions to help people regain lives of self-determination.” CFTH coordinates the Houston region’s public-private homeless response system, The Way Home . Through this collaboration, The Way Home partners have successfully housed over 36,000 people since 2012. CFTH will release the results of Houston’s 2026 PIT Count in the summer, following independent verification by an epidemiologist. These findings will provide insight into how factors such as increases in the cost of living and the end of federal pandemic relief funding have impacted homelessness in our region. More information about the 2026 Point-in-Time Homeless Count & Survey The PIT Count offers a snapshot of how many people are experiencing homelessness in our region on a single night. This year, the “night of record” is Monday, Feb. 23. CFTH determines the number of people staying in shelters on that night by pulling records electronically from the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) . The unsheltered count will be conducted on the following days, from Tuesday, Feb. 24 to Thursday, Feb. 26. More than 400 volunteers and staff of local nonprofit service provider partners will canvass the three-county region to survey people living unsheltered, using an app on their mobile devices. Results from the 2026 PIT Count will help gauge the progress of The Way Home’s ongoing collaborative efforts. It will also help CFTH and partner homeless outreach teams understand geographic shifts and target their outreach throughout the year. The PIT Count illuminates specific programmatic gaps and provides additional information needed to allocate resources most efficiently. The PIT Count is a requirement of the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) for the annual Continuum of Care (CoC) funding process. HUD furnishes the majority of funding for programs that provide housing and supportive services to people experiencing homelessness in the region. In 2024, HUD granted more than $71 million to the Houston area.
As lead agency to The Way Home Continuum of Care (CoC), CFTH is working with local governmental entities to advocate on behalf of people experiencing homelessness to ensure their needs are being considered as winter weather affects our region. We will make frequent updates as we receive information. Please check back often for the latest information. Last updated 02/01/2026 at 12:00 p.m.
While our system has helped thousands of people move from homelessness to housing, this year’s results highlight the need to broaden our approach.
