SLO County’s homeless population is shrinking, latest survey shows
The preliminary results of this year’s census of all homeless individuals living in San Luis Obispo County are in — and they bear good news.
According to preliminary data from this year’s Point-In-Time Count released Monday by the county homeless services division, San Luis Obispo County’s homeless population declined by 277 individuals between the 2022 and 2024 counts.
In the 2024 count conducted Jan. 23-31, volunteers counted 1,171 people experiencing homelessness throughout San Luis Obispo County, according to the release. That’s a 19% decline from the 1,448 counted in 2022.
Also, homeless individuals living in San Luis Obispo County were more likely to be have some form of shelter or temporary accommodations in 2024’s count, with sheltered homelessness hitting the highest mark since 2015, according to data in the release. Sheltered homelessness is the term used for an individual without housing who has has a roof over their heads through a congregate or non-congregate shelter.
In 2024’s tally, 374 people were counted as sheltered, with the remaining 797 experiencing unsheltered homelessness on the streets, compared to 292 sheltered people and 1,156 unsheltered people in 2022’s count, according to the release.
“The Point-in-Time Count shows an encouraging trend based on data captured on a single night,” the release read.
In-depth data on homelessness to come
The figures released Monday provide a basic snapshot of San Luis Obispo County’s homeless population, but more detailed information on the population’s demographics will be available in coming weeks, according to the release.
According to the release, 2024’s count is expected to provide much more accurate data than the 2022 count due to a change in methodology, with a particular focus on getting more respondents to answer survey questions.
In the previous count, just 29% of people counted answered survey questions, which jumped to 64% in the most recent count. In 2024, 797 individuals were identified as experiencing unsheltered homelessness of which 510 were surveyed.
Using those responses, the county provided the following basic statistics on homelessness:
88% have lived in San Luis Obispo County for at least one year or longer.
42% have experienced unsheltered homelessness for five years or longer and 38% have experienced unsheltered homelessness for between one to five years.
97% are an “Adults Only (no children)” household.
72% identify as male.
68% identify racially as white.
According to the release, a more in-depth version of the PIT count is set to be released in a few weeks once the data has completed the verification process with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
You can learn more about the 2024 count and its methodology online at slocounty.gov/PITCount.
