California reports one of largest drops in homelessness in past year, Hud reports
Summary
California saw one of the largest drops in homelessness in 2025, with a nearly 3% decrease in its unhoused population, according to a report from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). National homelessness also fell by 3% for the first time since 2016, but HUD and homelessness advocates expressed concerns about future progress due to changes in federal policies.Key Facts
- California’s homeless population was 181,934 in 2025, down almost 3% from 2024.
- Illinois, Hawaii, Florida, and New York had bigger decreases in homelessness than California.
- California and New York had the largest numbers of unsheltered homeless people in 2025.
- The national homeless count dropped by 3% from 2024, totaling 745,652 people on a single night in January 2025.
- HUD Secretary Scott Turner said the "housing first" approach has not significantly reduced homelessness and called for program changes.
- The Trump administration linked the drop in homelessness partly to decreases in Sanctuary Cities policies.
- Advocates credit 2024 housing and service programs for much of the progress but warn that proposed HUD cuts may reverse gains.
- HUD proposed new rules requiring shelters to assign housing based on birth sex and penalizing harm-reduction strategies.
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