County Report Uncovers Homeless Trends
Alameda County saw a three percent decrease in overall homelessness and an 11 percent decrease in the number of unsheltered people since 2022, according to the Alameda Point in Time (PIT) Homeless Count released on Dec. 11.
This is the first time since 2013 that homelessness in Alameda County has experienced an overall decrease.
According to the PIT, most people experiencing homelessness in the county are original members of the county. When surveyed, 78 percent reported that their previous permanent address was in Alameda County.
The PIT found that 58 percent of the homeless population is in Oakland, while the city’s general population makes up 25 percent of the county population. The City of Alameda, Hayward, and Livermore saw increases in homelessness, while Fremont, San Leandro, and Unincorporated Areas — Ashland, Castlewood, Castro Valley, Cherryland, Fairview, and San Lorenzo — saw significant decreases.
More unhoused people are in shelters in 2024 than in 2022. Hayward saw the most significant increase in sheltered people, with 105 percent more sheltered this year than in 2022.
Aaron Horner, Community Outreach Pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Hayward (FirstPres), works with members of the unhoused and low-income communities in the Eden Area.
Horner said that some of the decrease in homelessness that the PIT report found could be attributed to a change in count methodology. Horner said that in past years, people with lived homeless experience were incentivized to help with the count. Those with lived experience understand what it’s like to be unhoused and know the signs of unhoused living.
“We didn't have enough volunteers, and we didn't have enough people with lived experience,” Horner said. “They also wanted us to do more surveys rather than just going and counting. So those surveys, although very important, also caused a slowdown in the count, which can reduce accuracy.”
Black, African, and African American people make up most of the homeless population at 41.3 percent but are only 9.8 percent of the general population. The next most prominent group is white, making up 29.7 percent of the homeless population and 30.2 percent of the general population. Latinx is the next most prominent group at 22.5 percent of the homeless population.
This data shows that 63.8 percent of the homeless population are marginalized people of color.
“A lot of people believe that it (homelessness) somehow has to do with the fault of the individual,” Horner said. “The reason is because of the racial disparities in our systems that marginalized Black and Brown individuals.”
The primary cause of homelessness reported by the PIT is housing loss. Horner further explained that a lack of support perpetuates homelessness — people become homeless when they lose housing because they don’t have family or friends to help them.
Seventy-one percent of unhoused single adults are unsheltered, while families and unaccompanied youth stand at 15 percent and 51 percent, respectively.
The lack of community support also affects homelessness. Horner explained that when the community views homeless people in a negative light, there is less motivation to make change.
According to Alameda County’s 10-Year Housing Plan, the county needs 93,000 new affordable housing units by 2035. New York City has set an example for handling homelessness. New York City’s right-to-shelter ensures that those experiencing homelessness can take refuge through the shelter system.
Even with decreases, homelessness continues to be an issue within Alameda County, but plans are in place, and organizations are established to help put an end to the problem. “No one deserves to be homeless, and it's nobody's fault,” Horner said.