Alameda County Health’s full 2026 Point-in-Time Count report, released Wednesday, Oct. 28, confirms that homelessness across the county fell 13% from 2024, from 9,450 people to 8,201, the Alameda Post reported. Unsheltered homelessness fell 18%, from 6,343 to 5,202.
The count took place on Jan. 22, 2026. It is done every two years, as required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
A second straight decline
This is the second count in a row to show a decline, after nearly a decade of increases between 2013 and 2022, according to the county’s housing and homelessness services office. For the first time since tracking began, more people moved from homelessness into permanent housing in a single year (4,445) than became homeless (4,358).
“These results show what is possible when the county, cities, providers, and people with lived experience work together,” Director Jonathan Russell said in the county’s release.
City by city
In the City of Alameda, the count fell from 455 to 242, and unsheltered homelessness dropped from 300 to 129, the Post reported. About 47% of the city’s homeless residents are sheltered. Of those who are unsheltered, 64% sleep in a car or RV.
Fremont reported 852 unhoused residents, up from 807 in 2024 but below the 1,026 counted in 2022. The city said the numbers show “regional stability.” It credited programs like its Housing Navigation Center, Winter Relief Program and Mobile Evaluation Team, and its partnership with Newark and Union City.
Funding
Measure W, the half-cent sales tax voters passed in 2020, is a key funding source. In July 2025, county supervisors put 80% of its yearly revenue, about $136 million, toward reducing homelessness, the Post reported. Fremont said more regional investment is “critical” to keep making progress.