What you need to know
Leaders of the nonprofit organization Close to Home on May 29 unveiled findings of the annual San Antonio point-in-time count held Jan. 23 in San Antonio and unincorporated Bexar County.
Each year, agencies involved in Continuums of Care are required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to conduct a point-in-time count, a one-night snapshot of conditions surrounding people experiencing homelessness.
According to the 2024 San Antonio point-in-time count, the number of unsheltered individuals—people living or sleeping in a place not meant for human habitation—increased by 1.6% from 2023.
Officials with Close to Home shared other key findings from the 2024 count, with comparisons to the 2023 count:
- Sheltered individuals—those found to be living or sleeping in an emergency shelter, safe haven or transitional housing—rose 8.8% from 2023.
- The overall count of people experiencing homelessness increased 6.8% from 2023 to 2024.
- Since 2019, the unsheltered homeless population has decreased 25% and is 10% lower as a percentage of San Antonio's total unsheltered homeless community compared with the national average.
- 7% fewer unsheltered individuals were counted within San Antonio city limits in 2024 vs. 2023.
- There was an 18% drop in unsheltered veterans.
- There was a 42% decrease in veterans experiencing chronic homelessness.
- There was an 11% rise in families with children age 17 or younger experiencing homelessness, comprising 18.2% of the total count, making children the city's fastest-growing population.
Overall, people involved in the 2024 point-in-time count counted 3,398 total sheltered and unsheltered individuals. Close to Home officials said this was a 0.01% increase compared proportionally to San Antonio’s population growth between the January 2023 point-in-time count and the January 2024 count.
Leaders with Close to Home and other homeless assistance organizations said they are concerned about a particular segment of San Antonio’s homeless community—families with young children. Homelessness advocates also voiced worry about an increase in families seeking safe shelter due to domestic violence.
Despite some increases in the homeless community, Close to Home officials said emergency shelter bed capacity grew more than 10% with the expansion of the San Antonio Metropolitan Ministries’ noncongregate shelter in the past year.
As a whole, Close to Home leaders said the lower number of unsheltered homeless people is a cause for optimism. They added that more than 70% of homeless people counted this year were residing in a safe shelter, not on the streets—a percentage that was higher than the national average. Homeless advocates also said they were heartened by the reduction in the number of unsheltered veterans.
What they’re saying
Katie Wilson, Close to Home’s executive director, said the 2024 point-in-time count and other local data reinforce a need for initiatives, such as more permanent supportive housing development, to help address unsheltered homelessness. Wilson also said local government officials and nonprofits must continue to focus on preventing at-risk families from falling into homelessness, programming to engage property owners, helping medically fragile people experiencing homelessness and racial equity. She added Black or African American residents made up 20% of San Antonio’s 2024 point-in-time count.
Major takeaways
According to officials with Close to Home, the 2024 count data also supports continuing ongoing homelessness strategies, such as a “House 90 Families in 90 Days” challenge, an initiative designed to identify systemic solutions for families at risk of eviction or continued homelessness. Close to Home, and partner agencies and groups engage owners of rental properties to accept families moving out of homelessness with previous evictions on their record.
Leaders from Close to Home and partner organizations pledged to bolster their efforts toward helping people experiencing chronic homelessness, concentrating on outreach coordination, developing additional permanent supportive housing and addressing individuals with medical needs.
