Utah, Statewide — Utah's three Continuums of Care (CoCs), in partnership with the Utah Office of Homeless Services (OHS), today announced the finalized findings from the 2026 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count and Housing Inventory Count (HIC).
The 2026 findings indicate reductions in statewide unsheltered and chronic homelessness for the first time in years while maintaining strong, consistent utilization across housing resources. While progress is clear, state officials are sharpening their focus on targeted solutions for high-need populations, expanding dedicated housing resources for both seniors and young adults.
Tyler Clancy, State Homeless Coordinator:
"Homelessness is not a one-size-fits-all problem, and our response can't be either. An effective, accountable system meets people where they are and gives them the individualized support they need to exit homelessness and build lasting stability,"
Background
Utah's three Continuums of Care administer federal funding provided through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to coordinate housing and supportive services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. As part of HUD's reporting requirements, each CoC conducts an annual Point-in-Time (PIT) Count to estimate the number of people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January. Each CoC also completes an annual Housing Inventory Count (HIC), which inventories the community's temporary and permanent housing resources available to people experiencing homelessness.
Together, these two reports provide a comprehensive snapshot of homelessness across Utah by measuring both the number of individuals experiencing homelessness and the capacity of the homeless response system to serve them.
Utah's three Continuums of Care include:
- Salt Lake Valley Coalition to End Homelessness (SLVCEH): Salt Lake County
- Mountainland Continuum of Care: Utah, Summit, and Wasatch counties
- Balance of State Continuum of Care: Utah's remaining 25 counties
Methodology
Each Continuum of Care independently coordinates its annual Point-in-Time Count using HUD-established standards while retaining flexibility to tailor outreach and survey efforts to local conditions. For the 2026 count, the designated PIT night occurred on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. Although outreach teams may continue surveying individuals for several days afterward, all responses refer to where an individual was staying on the designated PIT night.
In addition to the PIT Count, each CoC completes the Housing Inventory Count (HIC), which documents the community's inventory of emergency shelter, transitional housing, rapid re-housing, permanent supportive housing, and other HUD-recognized housing resources.
When analyzed together, the PIT Count and HIC provide valuable insight into both the scale of homelessness and the capacity and utilization of housing resources throughout each community.
OHS serves as the designated data lead agency for Utah's Continuums of Care and is responsible for receiving, validating, and de-duplicating statewide PIT surveys and HIC data. OHS prepares individual reports for each Continuum of Care to support HUD reporting requirements and combines data from all three CoCs to produce a comprehensive statewide analysis.
Interpreting Housing Inventory Count Data
Housing Inventory Count utilization should be interpreted within the context of each program's intended purpose and eligibility requirements. A program that is not operating at full occupancy is not necessarily underperforming.
Many housing resources are funded to serve specific populations, such as youth, veterans, survivors of domestic violence, or families with children. If demand within a designated population is lower than available capacity, beds may remain vacant because they cannot appropriately be reassigned to individuals who do not meet program eligibility requirements.
As a result, the Housing Inventory Count measures both system capacity and utilization but should not be interpreted solely as an indicator of program performance.
Statewide Scope
Utah's 2026 Point-in-Time Count results reflect a statewide homeless response system operating as a coordinated network. Across the state’s three Continuums of Care, local providers, law enforcement, behavioral health partners, and state agencies worked toward a shared set of priorities. Chronic homelessness1 fell 6.7 percent, from 1,233 to 1,151 individuals, and unsheltered homelessness dropped 9.7 percent, from 1,046 to 945.
The unsheltered decline is significant given the conditions under which it occurred. Code Blue nights, when shelters expand capacity to protect people from dangerous cold temperatures, dropped from 120 to 68 this year, representing a 43 percent reduction. This means fewer Utahns experienced unsheltered homelessness this year despite less emergency shelter expansion than prior years.
The data also points to opportunities for improvement. Homelessness among Utahns aged 65 and older rose this year, from 356 to 385 individuals. OHS is working with committed partners across the state to build strategies suited to each region and sub-population, rather than a single model applied everywhere. A focus on statewide coordination, matched to the right resources, will help OHS build towards a homeless response system that prioritizes self-sufficiency, healing and recovery.
Balance of State Scope
The Balance of State Continuum of Care, serving 25 counties across Utah, conducted its 2026 Point-in-Time Count with the support of volunteer teams and community volunteers. Outreach teams covered urban, suburban, and rural areas to ensure a comprehensive count of individuals experiencing homelessness on the designated PIT night of January 28, 2026.
The 2026 count identified 1,427 individuals experiencing homelessness, including 935 in sheltered settings and 492 experiencing unsheltered homelessness across our CoC. Of those counted, 269 individuals met the definition of chronically homeless, and 36 were identified as veterans.
Compared to 2025, the region's overall PIT count remained largely stable, moving from 1,430 to 1,427 individuals. Within that count, two encouraging shifts stood out: the number of chronically homeless veterans dropped from 7 to 2, and the number of youth households2 fell from 23 to 15. These gains came even as the Balance of State saw a rise in overall chronic homelessness, from 224 to 269 individuals–an increase of approximately 20 percent. This stands as a reminder of where continued investment is most needed.
The decrease in veteran homelessness is attributed to strong collaboration between the Balance of State Continuum of Care and the Veterans Administration, along with a continued prioritization of housing resources for the veteran population. Similarly, targeted services for homeless youth have contributed to the decline in the number of youth households experiencing homelessness.
While the stability in the overall count and the progress among veterans and families are encouraging, the data also highlights the continued need for affordable housing and case management resources, particularly for individuals experiencing chronic homelessness. The Balance of State will continue to prioritize housing resources for the chronic homeless population.
Mountainland Scope
The Mountainland Continuum of Care, serving Utah, Summit, and Wasatch Counties, conducted its 2026 Point-in-Time Count with the support of 11 volunteer teams and more than 70 community volunteers. These outreach teams covered urban, suburban, and rural areas to ensure a comprehensive count of individuals experiencing homelessness on the designated PIT night of January 28th.
The 2026 count in the Mountainland region identified 247 individuals experiencing homelessness, including 202 individuals in sheltered settings and 45 individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness. The sheltered count includes individuals staying in the region’s two domestic violence shelters, which are counted using HUD-approved methodology that protects confidentiality.
Compared to 2025, Mountainland’s overall PIT count declined from 292 to 247 individuals, while unsheltered homelessness decreased from 53 to 45 people. This continues a multi-year downward trend, with unsheltered homelessness in Utah, Summit, and Wasatch Counties declining by more than 50 percent since 2024.
One factor contributing to this trend is the continued operation of the Utah County Warming Center, which opens during the winter months. The sustained reduction in unsheltered homelessness suggests that more individuals are connecting with crisis response and other services instead of spending nights outdoors.
Another factor supporting this progress is the collaborative work of Provo City Housing Authority and the Housing Authority of Utah County in partnerships with Wasatch Behavioral Health and The Refuge Utah. Together, these organizations have expanded permanent supportive housing opportunities with intensive case management for individuals with disabling conditions or who are fleeing domestic violence. Through these partnerships and housing opportunities, individuals and families with significant barriers have been able to achieve long-term housing stability.
While this progress is encouraging, the data also highlights the continued need for affordable housing and additional case management resources to ensure that individuals and families can exit homelessness into safe and stable housing.
Salt Lake Valley Coalition to End Homelessness(SLVCEH) Scope
In January 2026, more than 350 volunteers, organized into over 60 outreach teams, joined homeless service providers and community partners across Salt Lake County to conduct the annual Point-in-Time (PIT) Count. Working alongside the Utah Office of Homeless Services (OHS), local providers also completed the annual Housing Inventory Count (HIC), creating a comprehensive snapshot of both the individuals experiencing homelessness and the housing resources available throughout the county.
As we examined three years of PIT and HIC data, several encouraging trends emerged alongside insights that deserve continued consideration.
Notable System Improvements
The unsheltered chronically homeless population followed a positive trend: after peaking at 251 in 2025, it dropped 57.0% to 108 in 2026, the lowest figure in three years. Veteran homelessness also improved across nearly every major category, with unsheltered veteran homelessness reaching its lowest level in three years. Additionally, the number of self-reported unsheltered individuals experiencing serious mental illness declined by more than one-third during the same period, even as the overall number of individuals reporting a serious mental illness continued to grow. These improvements occurred alongside a 13.6 percent increase in housing inventory capacity since 2024, reflecting continued investment in shelter and housing infrastructure throughout Salt Lake County.
Trends Requiring a Deeper Look
The SLVCEH is also taking a closer look at trends that require additional analysis. The county's unsheltered population decreased from 517 individuals in 2025 to 408 in 2026, returning to a level comparable with the 413 individuals counted in 2024. The sheltered chronically homeless population increased 37.5% over the period (458 to 722), with nearly all of that growth occurring in a single year, a 57.2% jump between 2024 and 2025, indicating an increase in system capacity and connecting individuals with baseline support. While these represent positive shifts, SLVCEH is preparing a comprehensive report that will further examine the factors contributing to this data, along with other trends identified across the three-year reporting period.
Emerging Areas of Attention
At the same time, the data highlights areas where additional focus and community investment are needed. Homelessness among unaccompanied young adults ages 18 to 24 has increased each year since 2024, including a substantial increase in the number of youth experiencing unsheltered homelessness in 2026. Likewise, homelessness among adults age 65 and older has continued to rise over the past three years, underscoring the growing housing and service needs of Utah's aging population. While overall housing inventory utilization declined slightly—from 91 percent to 89 percent—this reflects housing capacity expanding at a faster pace than occupancy and should not be interpreted, on its own, as a decline in system performance.
Our Next Steps
SLVCEH will publish its complete 2026 Salt Lake County Point-in-Time Report in the coming weeks that looks at three year trends as well as additional data throughout our community, to provide a full picture analysis of trends shaping the county's homeless response system. For additional information, please visit endutahhomelessness.org/salt-lake-valley.
"This year’s numbers show our interventions are working. Unsheltered chronic homelessness is down 57% in the last two years. Veteran homelessness is the lowest it has been in three years. We are focusing resources where they matter most, and the results are showing up. We still have more work to do, especially for young adults and older residents. Salt Lake County will keep pushing until every person in this county has a stable place to live."
- Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson
Statewide Conclusion:
The 2026 data reflect a system that made real progress for several historically hard-to-house populations. Chronically homeless individuals, veterans, and adults with serious mental illness all saw meaningful reductions in unsheltered homelessness.
Youth, seniors, and families also warrant continued attention heading into 2027. Each of these sub-populations showed upward trends not offset by the placement gains seen elsewhere.
For more information and to see the full, comprehensive state data dashboard. Please visit: https://jobs.utah.gov/homelessness/hboard.html.