Sacramento Steps Forward says more people are accessing shelter and connecting to services than in prior years.
SACRAMENTO COUNTY, Calif. — More people are staying in shelters as homelessness continues to rise across Sacramento County, according to Sacramento Steps Forward.
Sacramento County counted 7,458 people experiencing homelessness during January’s Point-in-Time Count, nearly a 13% increase from the last countywide tally two years ago, according to results released by Sacramento Steps Forward.
However, the 2026 Point-in-Time Count found a 22% increase in the number of people staying in shelters and transitional housing compared to 2024, which is about 582 people. This happened alongside a rise in people living unsheltered outdoors or in vehicles, about 6.6% or around 261 people.
“This year’s data shows that recent investments in shelter and coordinated access are making a meaningful difference,” said Lisa Bates, CEO of Sacramento Steps Forward. “More people are accessing shelter and connecting to services than in prior years. At the same time, shelter alone is not enough to resolve homelessness. To build on this progress, our community must continue expanding pathways from homelessness to permanent housing through sustained investments in housing, prevention, and coordinated access.”
In total, the count identified 3,253 people living in shelter or transitional housing and an estimated 4,205 people experiencing unsheltered homelessness across Sacramento County.
Sacramento Steps Forward said the increase in sheltered homelessness reflects added shelter capacity and more consistent use of available beds over the past two years. The organization said the broader results align with trends from the region’s Homeless Management Information System dashboard, which has shown more people entering homelessness than exiting it throughout 2025 and 2026.
The count was conducted on Jan. 26 and 27, with nearly 800 volunteers and outreach workers participating in the unsheltered count. Shelter and housing providers sent sheltered count data directly, and the effort included about 1,200 surveys, nearly double the number from the 2024 count.
The report highlighted changes among several vulnerable populations compared with the 2024 count. Unsheltered homelessness among adults experiencing serious mental illness decreased by 3%, while sheltered homelessness among that group increased by 71%. The number of sheltered domestic violence survivors increased by 91%, though unsheltered homelessness among that population also rose by 7%.
Among people experiencing chronic homelessness, sheltered homelessness increased by 62% while unsheltered chronic homelessness rose by 12%, according to the report. Veteran homelessness declined overall, with a 4% decrease in unsheltered veterans and a 15% decrease in sheltered veterans.
The report also found unsheltered homelessness was more geographically dispersed throughout the county. About 59% of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness were estimated to be within the city of Sacramento, while 27% were in unincorporated county areas and about 15% were in surrounding cities.
City and county leaders described the findings as both a sign of progress and evidence that homelessness remains a major regional problem.
“Addressing homelessness remains one of our biggest and most unfinished challenges. Too many people continue to languish — and even die — on our streets,” said Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty. “The 2026 Point-in-Time Count is a mixed bag. It shows real progress: fewer people living unsheltered, expanded shelter and bed capacity, and stronger connections to services. But the number of people experiencing homelessness remains unacceptably high, and we still lack enough affordable housing to help people transition to permanent stability. We must stay the course by strengthening regional collaboration with the County, expanding beds and services, and delivering compassionate, cost-effective, and accountable solutions.”
Sacramento County leaders to discuss homelessness
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