Monterey County reports 15% drop in homelessness; Salinas remains largest concentration
September 01, 2026 | Monterey County, California
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Monterey County received a presentation on Sept. 1 showing 2,073 people experiencing homelessness on a single night in 2026, a 15% decline from the last count in 2024, County Homeless Services Director Roxanne Wilson said. “The 2026 point in time count revealed that there are 2,073 individuals who are experiencing homelessness in Monterey County on any given night,” Wilson told the Board of Supervisors.
Katrina McKenzie, executive director of the coalition of homeless services providers, said the county saw a 23% reduction in unsheltered homelessness and a dramatic 72% drop in unincorporated-area counts (from 443 to 123), attributing that progress to targeted encampment response funding and an interdepartmental encampment response team launched over the past two years. “This reduction reflects a substantial amount of targeted and intentional work in our unincorporated communities and along major encampment areas,” McKenzie said.
The presenters said the county’s gains were not uniform. Salinas remained the largest concentration of people experiencing homelessness — 1,249 counted in 2026 — and some smaller cities saw increases explained in part by newly reopened shelter programs. The count also showed demographic shifts: about 30% of people counted were age 55 or older and roughly two-thirds of individual counts were adults age 35–64.
Officials warned that changes at the federal and state level could put progress at risk. The presenters cited potential HUD reporting and prioritization shifts and uncertainty around state HAP funding as threats to services that help keep households housed. Wilson urged continued coordination across housing, health care and justice systems, and outlined several near-term steps including a community engagement meeting on Sept. 16 to discuss reconfiguring a recovery/shelter center and an April 2027 biennial homelessness summit.
Board members praised staff and community partners while pressing for clarity on how new behavioral health and housing dollars will be used to move people into housing. Supervisor Alejo noted that declines in the PIT count can reduce formula-driven funding and asked staff to track funding impacts. The presentation was received by the board for information, and staff said they would return with further implementation details as proposals come forward.
The presentation materials and a briefing are available from the County of Monterey Homeless Services office and the local Continuum of Care.
Katrina McKenzie, executive director of the coalition of homeless services providers, said the county saw a 23% reduction in unsheltered homelessness and a dramatic 72% drop in unincorporated-area counts (from 443 to 123), attributing that progress to targeted encampment response funding and an interdepartmental encampment response team launched over the past two years. “This reduction reflects a substantial amount of targeted and intentional work in our unincorporated communities and along major encampment areas,” McKenzie said.
The presenters said the county’s gains were not uniform. Salinas remained the largest concentration of people experiencing homelessness — 1,249 counted in 2026 — and some smaller cities saw increases explained in part by newly reopened shelter programs. The count also showed demographic shifts: about 30% of people counted were age 55 or older and roughly two-thirds of individual counts were adults age 35–64.
Officials warned that changes at the federal and state level could put progress at risk. The presenters cited potential HUD reporting and prioritization shifts and uncertainty around state HAP funding as threats to services that help keep households housed. Wilson urged continued coordination across housing, health care and justice systems, and outlined several near-term steps including a community engagement meeting on Sept. 16 to discuss reconfiguring a recovery/shelter center and an April 2027 biennial homelessness summit.
Board members praised staff and community partners while pressing for clarity on how new behavioral health and housing dollars will be used to move people into housing. Supervisor Alejo noted that declines in the PIT count can reduce formula-driven funding and asked staff to track funding impacts. The presentation was received by the board for information, and staff said they would return with further implementation details as proposals come forward.
The presentation materials and a briefing are available from the County of Monterey Homeless Services office and the local Continuum of Care.
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