County shows momentum in the fight against homelessness

San Bernardino County’s homeless population grew by 1 percent during the past year according to numbers released this week.

Data from the Jan. 25  Point-in-Time Count (PITC) showed San Bernardino County’s homeless population grew by 42 total individuals last year, from 4,195 to 4,237. It also showed a 3.1 percent decrease in the number of sheltered homeless individuals, defined as those who were in a public or private shelter that provided temporary living arrangements at the time of the count.

When compared to the last two years, (26 percent in 2023 and 6.6 percent in 2022), the numbers are a good indication that the county and its city and community partners are on the right track in combating homelessness said Fourth District Supervisor Curt Hagman.

“This data shows a flattening of our homeless numbers, which is a promising sign that we are heading in the right direction,” said Hagman, who along with Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr., serves on the County Homelessness Ad Hoc Committee.

In September 2023, Board of Supervisors Chairman and Third District Supervisor Dawn Rowe initiated the formation of the ad hoc committee under the direction of County Chief Executive Officer Luther Snoke. The purpose of the committee was to delve deeper into the root causes of homelessness and provide recommendations to the full Board of Supervisors on policies, strategies, and collaborative opportunities that could be adopted to address the issue.

In addition to forming the committee, the Board of Supervisors allocated $72.7 million on a Homelessness Spending Plan, plus the County Department of Behavioral Health’s secured nearly $89 million in grant funding for the establishment or expansion of facilities and beds.

The full report is available on San Bernardino County’s website.