San Francisco homelessness rate dips as Contra Costa County skyrockets

San Francisco leaders Monday touted recent data showing a drop in The City’s homelessness rate. Meanwhile, Contra Costa County is reporting a substantial increase. 

San Francisco’s Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing released preliminary findings of the Point-In-Time Count of unsheltered and sheltered homeless people. The count took place with the help of volunteers on the night of Feb. 23. Data shows the total number of unsheltered and sheltered homeless residents declined by 3.5 percent compared to 2019.

According to the findings, there were 7,754 sheltered and unsheltered homeless residents on that particular night this year, a decrease from 8,035 in 2019. The number of unsheltered homeless individuals dipped by an impressive 15 percent.

At an event celebrating the opening of 160 permanent supportive housing units in the South of Market, HSH Director Shireen McSpadden said:

“Our investments in shelter and housing are showing wonderful results and improvements in the lives of people who have experienced homelessness.”

The count is normally performed every two years as required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which provides federal funding for homelessness services. A final and more robust report will be issued in July and will be sent to HUD. The Covid-19 pandemic delayed the count that was supposed to occur last year. However, HHS performed a limited count of sheltered homeless residents in 2021.

While the pandemic created challenges, Mayor London Breed said it also provided an opportunity to cut bureaucratic red tape. As a result, several homeless residents were sheltered in hotels, and state Project Homekey funding helped The City purchase hotels for permanent housing.

Breed said:

“It meant that we were able to, as the numbers reflect, see a decline in the number of unsheltered, homeless people out on the streets during the last point-in-time count.”

Other preliminary data released by the department reflects a 6 percent drop in unaccompanied homeless youth — people experiencing chronic homelessness dropped by 11 percent.

All Bay Area counties released preliminary PIT count findings Monday, which indicate that the declining rate in The City may be partly due to simple migration. The rate increased by 35 percent in Contra Costa County. Contra Costa Health Services issued a media release Monday, saying exorbitant housing cost is outpacing creation of shelter beds.

CCHS said:

“During the three years since its 2019 homeless point-in-time count, Contra Costa Health (CCH) and community partners have added hundreds of shelter beds across the county – a 30% increase.”

Supervisor Karen Mitchoff said “the housing crisis has only gotten worse during the pandemic,” adding:

“We do not need a survey to know that more county residents are living on our streets.”

CCHS wrote:

“Renters in Contra Costa needed to earn $37.54 hourly to properly afford the county’s average asking rent of $1,952, according to a May 2021 report from California Housing Partnership, which also estimated an affordable housing shortfall of more than 27,000 units in the county compared to need.”

San Francisco switched to federal PIT count guidelines in 2019, which excludes homeless populations in jails and hospitals. Critics say the method results in severe undercounts.

Preliminary San Francisco count results can accessed on the HSH website.

Nik Wojcik of SFBay contributed to this report.

Jerold Chinn

Jerold serves as a reporter and San Francisco Bureau Chief for SFBay covering transportation and occasionally City Hall and the Mayor's Office in San Francisco. His work on transportation has been recognized by the San Francisco Press Club. Born and raised in San Francisco, he graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in journalism. Jerold previously wrote for the San Francisco Public Press, a nonprofit, noncommercial news organization. When not reporting, you can find Jerold taking Muni to check out new places to eat in the city.