D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser released new data Monday showing a 9% drop in homelessness across the city this past year, breaking a two-year trend of more people living on the District’s streets.
The census data said the decline was most significant among families, who experienced an 18% decrease in homelessness. That includes a 39% drop in families run by “Transition Age Youth,” or parents who are between the ages of 18 and 24.
Young adults saw an 11% overall decrease in homelessness, according to the data, while “unaccompanied individuals” saw a 5% decrease.
“I am incredibly grateful for the teams that are working every day to ensure we are able to not only provide shelter to neighbors who need it, but also help them move into – and thrive – in permanent housing,” Ms. Bowser said.
The data comes from the District’s annual Point-in-Time count, which was taken Jan. 29 this year.
Officials said the numbers this year is 19% lower than what it was in 2020 — the last time a PIT count was conducted before the pandemic.
Raw numbers haven’t been released yet, but a 19% drop from last year’s 5,616 homeless people in the District would put this year’s number at around 5,138.
“These results show a positive change in course following increases in homelessness over the past two years,” said Department of Human Services Interim Director A.D. Rachel Pierre.
“While there is more work to be done, this year’s PIT count is a clear indicator that the District’s investments — especially over the last year — are moving the needle in the right direction,” she said.
The mayor’s office said a major contributor to the decline in homelessness comes from the District’s Project Reconnect.
The program sends outreach teams to shelters and daycares to talk with people who have recently become homeless. Project Reconnect either helps house individuals or diverts them away from the homeless services system.
Officials said the program helped divert close to 400 people away from becoming homeless.
The District also opened the Aston, which can shelter up to 100 single adults and those who can’t gain entry to other shelters. City officials said programs offering more housing vouchers have helped 550 people acquire a lease for permanent housing.
Homelessness shot back up in 2023 and 2024 after falling by 31% in the District between 2021 and 2022.
City officials credited pandemic-era policies such as the eviction moratorium and an infusion of federal cash into cities and states for leading the decline three years ago. Trends reversed once that money stopped coming in and the Supreme Court struck down the eviction moratorium.
