Bridging The Gap CoC Homeless Point-in-Time Count

Executive Summary (excerpt)

…Results from the 2024 PIT revealed a 14 percent decline in total one-day homelessness from 2,195 people in 2023 to 1,895 people in 2024. This 300-person reduction can be attributed to net decreases in the counties of Hawai`i and Maui, with Kaua`i realizing a net increase. Hawai`i and Maui counties attained 28 and 7 percent decreases in total homelessness respectively, driven largely by declines in unsheltered homelessness, while Kaua`i rose seven percent overall. Kaua`i’s net increase of 35 people compared to 2023 resulted from a 34-person increase in unsheltered homelessness, and a one-person increase in sheltered homelessness.

The overall decrease in 2024 was fueled by a 17 percent drop in unsheltered homelessness to 1,276 persons compared to 1,542 in 2023. Unsheltered homelessness fell significantly in two of the three rural counties, with Hawai`i down 27 percent and Maui 26 percent. Kaua`i realized an eight percent increase in unsheltered homelessness, rising from 430 to 464 persons in 2024. The count of sheltered homeless persons staying in non-disaster related emergency or transitional facilities decreased five percent from 653 to 619 persons. This reduction resulted from an 87- person decline in shelter utilization on Hawai`i Island and a 53-person rise in shelter utilization reported in Maui and Kaua`i counties. Sheltered homelessness rose most in Maui, with a 52- person increase compared to 2023, Kaua`i, reported a slight increase of one-person. Final sheltered census data for Hawai`i, Kaua`i, and Maui on the night of the count showed 191, 59, and 369 total sheltered persons respectively.

An assessment of the type of individuals experiencing homelessness in 2024 found that of the 1,895 total persons enumerated, 1,418 were individuals, representing 75 percent of the total oneday estimate. Individuals are defined throughout this report as people in households (single or multiple adults) without children under the age of 18. A total of 477 family individuals within 133 families were homeless, including 43 families and 158 persons in these families that were living unsheltered. The 43 unsheltered families identified in 2024 represents a 16 percent decline relative to 2023. A total of 86 children were found living unsheltered within these 43 families, down 16 children compared to 2023. In 2024, 90 sheltered families were counted (84 in emergency shelters and six in transitional housing) encompassing 319 total persons, including 165 children and 154 adults. Sheltered family homelessness declined 22 percent to 90 families in 2024, down 25 families compared to 2023. The largest decrease in sheltered family homelessness was on Maui, which decreased by 16 families relative to 2023.

A review of BTG subpopulation data indicates that the total number of self-reported homeless veterans decreased 19 percent to 74 veterans compared to the 2023 total of 91. A total of 59 unsheltered veterans were counted in 2024, down 14 veterans relative to the 2023 count, and down 39 veterans relative to the 2020 count. An unsheltered count was not conducted in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Overall data from 2024 shows a 22-person decline in the level of chronic homelessness among individuals compared to 2023 data, with 674 homeless individuals demonstrating chronicity. This represents a three percent decline compared to the prior year and indicates that 48 percent of the 1,397 homeless individuals enumerated this year are chronically homeless. The chronic homelessness data presented in this report is derived from self-reported responses to disability and length of homelessness questions. Twenty-one homeless individuals residing in transitional housing were excluded from this calculation since people residing in transitional housing cannot be chronically homeless. The rate of chronic homelessness is lower among individuals residing in emergency shelters and is 32 percent for 2024 (88 of 279 individuals).

This report tabulates data on unaccompanied and parenting youth households (see Appendix 2, Tables 5 and 6). Unaccompanied youth are defined by HUD as people in households without children who are not part of a family with children or accompanied by their parent or guardian during their homelessness, and who are all 24 years of age or younger. BTG reported 45 total unaccompanied youth households in 2024, with 34 of these households (76 percent) living unsheltered, while 11 resided in a sheltered facility. The 2024 unaccompanied youth household count increased by only two households compared to the 43 households reported in 2023. There were two unsheltered unaccompanied youth under the age of 18 reported in the 2024 count, both on Hawai`i Island.

A parenting youth household is defined by HUD as a household that contains only persons aged 24 years or younger with one or more dependent children. In 2024, BTG reported a total of nine parenting youth households with 32 total persons, including 17 children. The number of parenting youth households reported in 2024 decreased by two compared to 2023….

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LINK: PIT COUNT DATA

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