2026 Homelessness Point‑in‑Time Counts Reveal Diverging Trends in Washington and Hawaii

The Council for the Homeless released its 2026 Point‑in‑Time (PIT) count for Clark County, Washington. Unsheltered families rose 21%, and people identifying as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) made up 40% of those counted, an over‑representation compared with the county’s 26% BIPOC population. Overall unsheltered individuals fell 11% from 2025, while emergency shelter usage dropped 15% and transitional‑housing beds fell 46% as they were converted to permanent housing. Seniors in emergency shelter fell 50% and chronically homeless sheltered individuals decreased 31%, though chronically homeless unsheltered individuals rose 8%.

On Hawai‘i Island, volunteers conducting the 2026 Neighbor Islands Homeless Point‑in‑Time Count reported a 3% decline in total homelessness, from 718 in 2024 to 696 in 2026. Unsheltered homelessness fell 11% to 467, while sheltered homelessness rose 20% to 229. Family homelessness dropped 20% and unsheltered families fell 91% since 2018. Veteran homelessness increased 16% to 44. Coalition leaders emphasized the need for continued investment in permanent, affordable housing to sustain progress.