California Cuts Homelessness Nearly 3% to 181,934 as U.S. Total Falls 3% in 2025
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 31
California Cuts Homelessness Nearly 3% to 181,934 as U.S. Total Falls 3% in 2025
6 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 31
181,934 people were homeless in California on a single night in January 2025, down nearly 3% from 2024 and putting the state among the five biggest year-over-year declines.
HUD’s point-in-time count also showed the first national drop since 2016, with U.S. homelessness falling 3% to 745,652 after targeted housing aid, Emergency Housing Vouchers and other service funding expanded in 2024.
Governor Gavin Newsom had intensified his homelessness push, rolling out a model anti-encampment ordinance in May 2025 and pointing to $3.3 billion in voter-approved housing and treatment funding.
California still had one of the nation’s largest unsheltered populations, and homelessness remained a central issue in the state’s governor’s race and Los Angeles’s mayoral contest.
HUD under Donald Trump downplayed the decline, stressing homelessness is still up 27% since 2013, while advocates warned proposed cuts could push at least 170,000 formerly homeless people back onto the streets.
California spent $24 billion on homelessness. Why did its unhoused population fall by just 3%?
As emergency housing vouchers end, what happens to the tens of thousands of people who rely on them?
With conflicting court rulings on encampments, what can cities legally do now to manage public spaces?
California Homelessness Drops in 2025: Causes, Controversies, and the Road Ahead
Overview
In 2025, California saw its first decline in homelessness in years, following Governor Newsom’s prioritization of the issue and reforms to a previously failing system. This progress is linked to effective strategies at both the state and local levels, such as targeted interventions like Mayor Bass’ Inside Safe program, which contributed to a significant drop in street homelessness in areas like Hollywood and Venice. While these positive trends are based on preliminary local data, they highlight how coordinated efforts and focused programs can help reverse long-standing challenges, though continued work is needed to ensure lasting solutions for all.