The number of people experiencing homelessness across Hawaiʻi slightly decreased since 2024, according to the 2026 Homeless Point in Time Count.
Volunteers tracked the number of houseless people on Kauaʻi, Maui, and Hawaiʻi islands by asking, “Where did you sleep on the night of Jan. 25, 2026?”
The annual census was conducted under Bridging the Gap, a coalition of agencies that strives to end homelessness. The advocacy teams said they were committed to expanding their search to cover rural and hard-to-reach places to make the count as accurate as it could be. Since 2018, Oʻahu has conducted its own annual PIT count, which is why the island's data is not included in this year's neighbor island PIT.
The results from this year’s study revealed a roughly 2% decrease in overall homelessness across the three surveyed islands, from 1,895 in 2024 to 1,863 people this year.
“While the PIT Count is a one-night snapshot rather than a total census of all who experience homelessness throughout the year, it remains a significant metric for tracking trends in order to help stakeholders better understand homelessness in their communities,” Bridging the Gap wrote in a statement.
On Maui, overall homelessness remained on par with the results from 2024, but veteran homelessness saw a spike of about 50%. Advocates noted the 2023 wildfires created more competition for housing and basic needs.
Billy-Jo Pike, the chair of the Community Alliance Partners on Hawaiʻi Island, noted her district saw a 90% decrease in the number of unsheltered families over the last five years.
The number of unsheltered individuals on Hawaiʻi Island decreased while the number of sheltered houseless individuals increased by 20%, which Pike attributed to direct outreach and quick response.
“That progress did not happen by accident; it reflects years of coordinated outreach, shelter access prevention efforts, healthcare partnerships, housing navigation and community collaboration focused on moving people off the streets and helping them find stability,” Pike said. “This shows that when our community works together, progress and change is possible.”
