Homelessness increased in this county within the Sacramento region, report finds

Theresa Clift
·2 min read
6

There are 26% more people living in homelessness in Yolo County than there two years ago, a new report found, but still far less than neighboring Sacramento County.

A recent federally-mandated Point in Time count found there were 942 homeless people living in shelters and on the streets in Yolo County — 196 more than in 2022, according to a Yolo County news release.

Despite its proximity to downtown Sacramento, where tent encampments are common, the city of West Sacramento’s homeless population stayed “stable” compared to 2022, the release said. The city of Davis saw its homeless population decrease, while Woodland and the more rural communities on the county’s west side saw increases.

“This information is critical for shaping our strategies to effectively combat homelessness and guarantee every resident access to secure and sustainable housing,” Lucas Frerichs, chair of the Yolo County Board of Supervisors, said in the release.

Yolo County’s neighbor to the east, Sacramento County, saw a decrease in its homeless population, according to its most recent count. There are now an estimated 6,600 homeless people living in Sacramento County — 29% fewer total homeless people than volunteers counted during the preceding count in February 2022, and 41% fewer homeless people sleeping outside.

Nonprofit Loaves & Fishes questioned the accuracy of the report, saying it served 30,000 more meals than in 2022, a 20% increase, and served 690 more total guests. The new report also used a different research firm and different method for counting than in 2022 — changes that Sacramento Steps Forward, the nonprofit in charge of the count — said did not impact accuracy.

As a result of the new numbers, Sacramento could receive less state funding to address the crisis than it did in previous years, while Yolo County could get more.

Yolo County is not the only area in California where the number of unsheltered people increased. In the Bay Area, Oakland’s homeless population increased about 9%, to 5,490, while San Francisco’s increased 7% to 8,328.