2 CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE JOINT MEETING: GLENDALE CITY COUNCIL AND
GLENDALE HOUSING AUTHORITY
AGENDA ITEM
Report: Note and File the City of Glendale’s 2026 Homeless Point-in-Time Count.
1. Council Motion to Note and File the City of Glendale’s 2026 Homeless 2026 Point- in-Time Count.
2. Housing Authority Motion to Note and File the City of Glendale’s 2026 Homeless Point-in-Time Count.
COUNCIL ACTION
Item Type: Action Item
Approved for August 25, 2026 calendar
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Glendale conducted its 2026 Point-in-Time Count on January 20, 2026, as required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and in coordination with Los Angeles County Service Planning Area 2, which includes the Los Angeles Continuum of Care and its participating agencies and jurisdictions.
The 2026 count also marked the implementation of “Counting Us,” a new volunteer management and data collection platform that streamlined field operations, improved data quality, and enhanced reporting capabilities through real-time data collection and centralized survey administration.
The 2026 PIT Count identified 220 individuals experiencing homelessness in Glendale, a 12% increase from 2025. The increase was driven by a 43% rise in unsheltered homelessness, while the sheltered population declined by 13%. Older adults continued to represent a significant portion of the unsheltered population, while families with children, women, and survivors of domestic violence comprised a substantial share of the sheltered population. Survey data identified housing affordability, loss of employment, and health-related challenges, including increasing mental health conditions, as leading contributors to homelessness. The findings highlight the continued need for coordinated outreach, emergency shelter, domestic violence support services, behavioral health services, homelessness prevention efforts, and permanent housing solutions to address homelessness in Glendale.
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6 RECOMMENDATION
That City Council and Housing Authority each pass a motion to note and file the City of Glendale’s 2026 Homeless Point-in-Time Count.
ANALYSIS
As the Collaborative Applicant for the Glendale Continuum of Care (CoC), the City of Glendale is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to conduct an annual Point-in-Time (PIT) Count during the last ten days of January. In 2026, the count was conducted on January 20 to align with the schedule established for Los Angeles County’s Service Planning Area 2 (SPA 2), which includes the Los Angeles CoC and its participating agencies and municipalities.
For the PIT Count, the City implemented Counting Us, a new volunteer management and data collection platform developed by Simtech Solutions. The platform replaced several manual processes with a centralized system for volunteer registration, survey administration, and field data collection. Through a mobile application, volunteers were able to access survey tools, collect data in real time, and submit responses directly from the field. The implementation of Counting Us enhanced the City's PIT Count methodology by improving data quality, increasing operational efficiency, and reducing administrative burden. In addition to interview surveys, volunteers were able to complete observational surveys for individuals who declined participation or could not be safely engaged, improving the City's ability to document individuals experiencing homelessness while maintaining consistent data collection practices. The platform also provided immediate access to count results and reporting tools, reducing the need for manual data entry and streamlining post-count data processing.
Surveys were conducted whenever possible. Individuals who declined participation, were asleep, or could not be safely approached were documented through observation-only surveys. Potential duplicate entries were identified using a combination of initials, age, race, gender, and ethnicity, and were verified using timestamp and location data.
The count covered the entire geographic area of Glendale using maps developed by the Information Technology Department and reviewed by Glendale Police Department outreach staff.
PIT RESULTS
The 2026 PIT Count identified 220 individuals experiencing homelessness in Glendale, including 96 sheltered individuals (44%) and 124 unsheltered individuals (56%).
Compared to 2025, the total homeless population increased by 12%, from 197 to 220 individuals. The most significant increase occurred within the unsheltered population, which increased by 43%, from 87 to 124 individuals, while the sheltered population decreased by 13%, from 110 to 96 individuals. These findings reflect a continued shift toward unsheltered homelessness in Glendale.
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6 Sheltered Count
The sheltered population continues to primarily consist of families with children and women, primarily those fleeing domestic violence. Females represented 52% (50 individuals) of the sheltered population, while males accounted for 48% (46 individuals).
Nearly half of all sheltered individuals were children under the age of 18, representing 48% (46 accompanied children) of the sheltered population. Hispanic/Latina/e/o individuals represented the largest racial and ethnic group among sheltered individuals at 46% (44 individuals), followed by Black/African American individuals at 23% (22 individuals).
The sheltered population also included individuals with increased service and support needs. Among sheltered individuals, 19% (18 individuals) identified as adult survivors of domestic violence, 13% (12 individuals) reported chronic health conditions, 5% (5 individuals) reported mental health conditions, and 2% (2 individuals) reported substance use disorders. Youth homelessness within sheltered settings declined by 40%, from 5 youth in 2025 to 3 youth in 2026, while chronically homeless sheltered households without children decreased slightly from 9 households to 8 households (11%).
Unsheltered Count
The unsheltered population remained predominantly male, with males accounting for 82% (102 individuals) of all unsheltered individuals, compared to females at 18% (22 individuals). White individuals represented 34% (42 individuals) of the unsheltered population, followed closely by Black/African American individuals at 32% (40 individuals), Hispanic/Latina/e/o individuals at 19% (23 individuals), and Middle Eastern or North African individuals at 10% (12 individuals). The number of Middle Eastern or North African individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness increased significantly from 1 individual in 2025 to 12 individuals in 2026.
Older adults continued to represent a significant portion of the unsheltered population.
Individuals age 55 and older accounted for 42% (52 individuals) of all unsheltered individuals, including 25 individuals between the ages of 55–64 and 27 individuals age 65 and older. Adults ages 35–64 represented the largest age categories overall within the unsheltered population. Additionally, all 124 unsheltered individuals were persons in households without children.
Veteran homelessness remained unchanged, with 4 unsheltered veterans identified in both 2025 and 2026. Chronically homeless unsheltered households without children increased slightly from 17 households in 2025 to 18 households in 2026 (6%). Housing affordability and economic instability remained the leading contributors to homelessness.
Among 39 unsheltered individuals surveyed, the most commonly reported causes of homelessness included inability to afford rent (38% /15 responses), loss of employment (26% / 10 responses), death of a parent (21% / 8 responses), illness (18% / 7 responses), and divorce or separation (18% / 7 responses).
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6 The data also reflects increasing mental and physical health needs among individuals experiencing homelessness. Mental health disorders represented the most commonly reported disabling conditions among unsheltered individuals, accounting for 44% (17 reported cases) of all reported disabling conditions, followed by physical disabilities at 31% (12 reported cases), chronic health conditions at 26% (10 reported cases), alcohol or drug use at 18% (7 reported cases), and developmental disabilities at 15% (6 reported cases).
First Time Homelessness: The 2026 PIT Count identified 18 unsheltered individuals experiencing homelessness for the first time compared to 19 individuals in 2025. Of those 18 individuals, 94% (17 individuals) were male, and adults ages 55-64 represented the largest age group (33% or 6 individuals). The leading causes of first-time homelessness included divorce or separation (33% or 6 individuals), inability to afford rent (28% or 5 individuals), death of a parent (22% or 4 individuals) and loss of employment (22% or 4 individuals).
Became Homeless in Glendale: 17 unsheltered individuals reported becoming homeless in Glendale, representing a 54% decrease from 37 individuals in 2025. Of those individuals, 53 % (9 individuals) were experiencing homelessness for the first time, and 47% (8 individuals) reported living in Glendale their entire life prior to becoming homeless.
Overall, the 2026 PIT Count demonstrates continued growth in unsheltered homelessness and increasing service needs among individuals experiencing homelessness in Glendale, particularly among older adults and individuals experiencing mental and chronic health conditions. The findings highlight the continued need for coordinated outreach, emergency shelter, mental health services, rapid rehousing assistance, domestic violence support services, and permanent housing solutions to address homelessness in the community.
STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
After approval from City Council/Housing Authority, the agencies and community will be informed of the 2026 PIT results via the City’s Homeless Services webpage and other online platforms, including social media.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
This item is not a project as defined in CEQA Guidelines section 15378, and thus, is not an activity subject to CEQA. (CEQA Guidelines § 15060(c)(3).)
CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
This item is exempt from campaign disclosure requirements.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
1: Do not approve the Motion to Note-and-File the 2026 Homeless PIT Report. 52 6
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6 2: The City Council may consider any other alternative not proposed by staff.
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Submitted by:
Jack Wong, Interim Director of Community Development
Prepared by:
Arsine Isayan, Deputy Director, Community Development/Housing Approved by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager