Gov. Gavin Newsom Touts 13% Drop in California Unsheltered Homeless Since 2024

Homelessness declines, but still up over Newsom’s two terms

Volunteers survey an unhoused person, who sits along a bike path near State Route 15, as they conduct the annual point-in-time count in San Diego on Jan. 29, 2026. Photo by Adriana Heldiz, CalMatters We’ve got so much news in today’s WhatMatters: The latest homeless numbers, a brand new tool and the passing of an icon whose work transcended the California farmworker movement and became a worldwide symbol for human rights. We also have some brea…

Gov. Gavin Newsom touts 13% drop in California unsheltered homeless since 2024

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Outgoing Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday that the number of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in California had dropped almost 13% since 2024, providing a boost to a Democrat who has been dogged by criticism of his handling…

California's Unsheltered Homelessness Drops for Second Straight Year

SACRAMENTO – Building on California’s progress in reversing decades of homelessness growth, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced preliminary data from across the state showing unsheltered homelessness has declined for the second consecutive year—down nearly 13% since 2024.Unsheltered homelessness is now slightly below 2019 levels, when Governor Newsom took office, according to the data.Last year, according to 2025 federal data from the Trump Ad…