Homelessness is Declining Nationwide: What Does New Data Reveal About Our Community?

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Homelessness is declining for the second consecutive year, and new data reveals what’s happening in communities across the country, including right here in your area. An independent analysis commissioned by the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) shows a 6.8% overall decrease in homelessness in 2026, including a nearly 16% drop among families and an 8.2% decline among veterans.

But what do these numbers look like in your community? NAEH’s new analysis includes local findings that show how homelessness is changing in your area and how those numbers compare with the national trend.

While the overall decline is encouraging, the progress isn’t guaranteed. The Alliance says the findings show that housing-focused programs and targeted investments can make a difference, but continued efforts are needed, particularly for people who have been homeless the longest.

Ann Oliva is CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, a public education, advocacy, and capacity building organization dedicated to ending homelessness in the United States. A career veteran of homelessness and housing policy, she is recognized as one of the foremost experts on homelessness in the nation. In her role, Ms. Oliva works closely with members of Congress, as well as with officials and advocates at the state and local levels. Her distinguished career is marked by a decade of federal service at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). During her 10-year tenure at HUD, Ms. Oliva successfully designed and implemented a variety of initiatives and programs, including homelessness prevention, supportive housing, and Rapid Re-Housing programs, as well as a demonstration to end youth homelessness.

Jared Schachner is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Price Center for Social Innovation. As a sociologist of stratification in cities, neighborhoods, and schools, his research examines how these three urban ecologies mediate the intergenerational transmission of skills and status. This agenda draws on urban sociology, inequality/stratification, sociology of education, social policy, and quantitative/spatial analysis.

National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH)