Contributing Author: Cass Montressor, Planning Coordinator, Housing & Homeless Coalition of CNY
The Housing & Homeless Coalition of Central New York (HHC) is a network of organizations committed to ending homelessness and housing vulnerability in Central New York. Each year, the HHC conducts its Point in Time count, a census of all people experiencing homelessness in our three-county region which includes Onondaga, Cayuga, and Oswego counties. This effort includes data collected in the Homeless Management Information System database and a full canvas of our geographic region. Over 100 volunteers go out on one night in January to ensure that we are getting the most accurate and complete count of people experiencing homelessness. Our volunteers also canvas soup kitchens and day centers asking where people are staying.
The 2026 Point in Time Count identified approximately 1,300 people experiencing homelessness on a single night across the three-county region. This number includes people in emergency shelters, transitional housing, hotels paid for by emergency assistance programs or social services, and people unsheltered outdoors. This is the highest number recorded by our Coalition in more than a decade.
Prior to the pandemic, our three-county region experienced annual decreases in homelessness. Since then, homelessness has increased significantly. The 2026 count found that homelessness has increased 174% since 2021.
Although homelessness overall has increased, the number of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness decreased by 31% from the previous year. Unsheltered homelessness is defined as people staying in places not meant for human habitation, like vehicles, abandoned buildings, tents, and outdoor locations.
In addition to the Point in Time Count, the Housing & Homeless Coalition conducts a Housing Inventory Count, which measures the number of beds and housing resources dedicated to serving people experiencing homelessness throughout the region. This year’s Housing Inventory Count found increases in capacity across nearly every housing intervention type, including emergency shelter, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, and other permanent housing programs.
The Point in Time debrief looks at the connection between continued increases in housing costs, specifically three-bedroom units, alongside increases in family homelessness throughout the region. Families are defined as households consisting of at least one adult with minor children. Similar trends in increased family homelessness following increased rental costs were present in all three counties.
Together, the Point in Time Count and Housing Inventory Count provide a snapshot of homelessness and housing resources in Central New York. The data helps community partners assess current needs, identify trends, and plan future responses to homelessness and housing instability. Both the Point in Time Count and Housing Inventory Count are required by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). When these reports are submitted, they are used to inform discussions at a federal level about funding and national trends for needs and services.
While homelessness remains at historically high levels, the report also highlights ongoing efforts to expand housing and shelter resources throughout the region. These findings will help inform community planning and resource development in the years ahead.
To read the full report, learn more about homelessness in Central New York, or find opportunities to get involved, visit hhccny.org.
