May 29, 2024

For Immediate Release

Redwood City – The official One Day Homeless Count, a tally of those who live outside in every corner of San Mateo County or are spending the night in a shelter, found 2,130 people experiencing homelessness on Jan. 25, 2024.

The numbers represent an 18 percent increase from a count conducted in 2022. While imperfect, the point-in-time count provides a snapshot of homelessness officials use as a gauge to measure the success and needs of service programs. Local officials say the higher number is fueled by a 38 percent increase in those in shelters, a fact local officials attributed to a growing number of emergency shelter beds available to cope with the crisis.

Data released today from the Jan. 25, 2024, count found that those homeless individuals counted outside of a shelter (this includes staying on the streets, in cars, RVs or tents) increased by 5 percent to 1,145. Taken together with those counted in shelters, there were 322 more individuals counted in 2024 than 2022.

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