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Agenda Report:
June 22, 2026
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TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Department of hlousing
SUBJECT: 2026 PASADENA POINT IN TIME HOMELESS COUNT RESULTS RECOMMENDATION:
The following report is for information only; no action is required.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Pasadena utilizes two complementary approaches to measure homelessness in order to guide effective solutions-an Annual Count of all individuals who experienced homelessness over the course of a calendar year and a Point-in-Time Count which provides a "snapshot" of people who experienced homelessness on a single night. Both counts only include people who meet the federal definition of literal homelessness, which does not include those who are doubled up with family or friends, couch surfing, or otherwise at risk of homelessness. While the Annual Count offers a more comprehensive enumeration of the City's homeless population, the Point-in-Time Count allows for a more in-depth analysis of the characteristics of said population.
Additionally, results from the Point-in-Time Count contribute to regional, state and national data on homelessness and are used by public funders to allocate resources to the City. This report provides the results of the 2026 Point-in-Time Count. Staff will return to Council at a later date to present the results of the 2025 Annual Count.
Methodoloav
The Point-in-Time Homeless Count is comprised of an unsheltered count, a supplementary youth count, and a sheltered count. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires all Continuums of Care (CoCs) to conduct a sheltered count annually, while the unsheltered count is only required every other year. CoCs can elect to conduct an unsheltered count annually. While the City utilizes the most comprehensive approach available, an undercount is possible, especially among hard- to-reach populations such as families and youth.
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MEETING OF 06/22/2026AGENDA ITEM NO. 24_
2026 Pasadena Point-in-Time hlomeless Count Results
June 22, 2026
The 2026 Point-in-Time hlomeless Count was conducted from the evening of Wednesday, January 21 through the afternoon of Thursday, January 22. Nearly 200 volunteers and professional homeless service workers conducted a robust canvassing of the entire City for the unsheltered count, covering 28 zones in addition to service locations and the City's libraries. Small teams surveyed people living on the street, in vehicles, and other areas not meant for human habitation. Professional outreach workers focused on more densely populated areas, and the Police Department's HOPE and Park Safety teams counted in parks, freeway embankments, and natural areas. All participants utilized a GIS-enabled survey tool developed by the Department of Information Technology. Throughout the unsheltered count, Vaccine Strike Teams, a collaboration of the Public Health Department's Pasadena Outreach Response Team (PORT) and Huntington Hospital, provided flu, COVID-19, and hepatitis A vaccines. A supplementary youth count focused on hotspots where unsheltered youth ages 18-24 are more likely to be found and utilized youth enumerators, many with lived experience of homelessness, alongside youth-focused service providers.
The sheltered count was derived from client-level data entered into the HMIS database and comparable secure databases for people who were staying in temporary shelter locations on the night of January 21, including the Bad Weather Shelter and other congregate emergency shelters, transitional housing, and motels paid for by government and non-profit entities (i.e., motel vouchers).
Results
Overall homelessness remained relatively flat. On the night of the 2026 Point-in- Time Homeless Count, 577 people were experiencing homelessness in Pasadena, representing a 1% decrease from 2025 (four fewer people). While the number of people experiencing homelessness was largely unchanged, there were notable shifts within the population as described below.
Unsheltered Homelessness decreased by 6%. For the first time in five years, unsheltered homelessness decreased, with 322 people sleeping in unsheltered locations on the night of the count, down from 342 in 2025. The most common sleeping locations were streets and sidewalks (175) and in vehicles (37).
Sheltered homelessness increased by 7%. The number of people sheltered reached a 10-year high, with 255 people staying in shelters, transitional housing, and at motels with vouchers on the night of the count. The number of people sheltered in motels has doubled since 2024.
The large majority of unsheltered individuals have close ties to Pasadena. Over half (57%) of unsheltered people surveyed were last housed in Pasadena and had been residents for an average of 21 years before losing their housing. An additional 19% of unsheltered people reported other connections to Pasadena such as family or friends (13%) and employment or prior housing (6%).
2026 Pasadena Point-in-Time Homeless Count Results
June 22, 2026
The Eaton Fire affected nearly a third of unsheltered people. Twenty-nine percent of those surveyed reported being affected by the fire, with 9% citing the fire as the reason for their housing loss. Other effects included physical and mental health impacts (21%) and temporary displacement (16%).
Additional Insights
Shelter resources are especially needed for single adults. On the night of the count, all unsheltered people were single adults, and no families with minor children were found without shelter. In contrast, 47% of the sheltered population were people in families. The Point-in-Time Count reflects only one night, and families with minor children do experience unsheltered homelessness in Pasadena. However, their numbers are consistently far lower than those of unsheltered single adults (11 unsheltered people in families in 2024 and six in 2025, compared to 310 unsheltered single adults in 2024 and 335 in 2025).
Anticipated funding cuts and reductions in County-administered services will significantly impact Pasadena's homeless response system. Due to a budget shortfall, the County has made substantial reductions to homeless services in FY 2027, including programs that operate in Pasadena. Pasadena's homeless services funding is anticipated to be significantly reduced across federal, state, and County sources, further straining local system capacity.
2026 Pasadena Point-in-Time hlomeless Count Results
June 22, 2026
Future Outlook
Looking ahead, the City remains committed to strengthening its homeless response system even as the sector faces considerable challenges in the coming year including County and federal funding cuts. Planning has begun for Pasadena's new year-round shelter. In addition, new resources are on the horizon. Door of Hope's David & Katharine Lee hlome, partially funded by the City, is expected to open in early 2027, expanding transitional housing options for families. The Ramona project is expected to break ground in 2027 and will provide 100 units of affordable housing for seniors including 48 permanent supportive housing units. Together, these efforts position the City to expand interim housing resources, bring new housing online, and continue building a stronger, more responsive system for Pasadena residents experiencing homelessness.
Respectfully submitted,
JAMES WONG
Housing Director
Prepared by:
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Jennifer O'Reilly-Jones
Program Coordinator III
Approved by:
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MATTHEW £/ HAWKESWORTH
Interim City Manager