Marin's Homeless Count Shows Signs Of Progress

SAN RAFAEL, CA — A new tally of people experiencing homelessness in Marin County offered a few signs of progress in addressing the crisis, officials announced Monday.

Preliminary numbers from this year's "point in time" count showed 1,090 people living homeless in Marin County on a single day in January, including 788 living unsheltered and 302 living in shelters. The figure represents a nearly 3 percent decline since 2022, including a more than 5 percent drop in those living unsheltered.

The county recorded a 32 percent drop in homeless veterans, a 24 percent decline in chronic homelessness, and a 12 percent decrease in families with children experiencing homelessness.

"The significant 24 percent reduction in chronic homelessness is truly promising," said Lisa Warhuus, director of Marin County Health and Human Services. "Marin's concentrated efforts on addressing the needs of our most vulnerable residents have yielded tangible results."

Unlike previous PIT counts, this year's accounted for 85 people living in farm encampments in West Marin. Officials said if those were accounted for in 2022, this year's decrease would have been closer to 10 percent.

"The inclusion of individuals from farm encampments in West Marin sheds light on a previously obscured aspect of homelessness in our county," said Gary Naja-Riese, director of the HHS Homelessness and Coordinated Care Division. "Despite being categorized as 'farmworker housing' in the past, these individuals meet the criteria for homelessness classification outlined by the HUD, including the lack of essential amenities like basic plumbing."

>> More information on the 2024 point in time count is available on the Marin County website.