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HSH director: PIT count shows modest rise in overall homelessness; department outlines family and youth investments
Summary
HSH Executive Director Shereen McSpadden presented preliminary 2024 PIT results showing a small increase in total homelessness, detailed program metrics and announced new family and youth investments while promising a fuller PIT presentation in August.
San Francisco's homelessness agency told the city's Homelessness Oversight Commission on Wednesday that preliminary results from the 2024 point‑in‑time (PIT) count show a modest uptick in total homelessness even as unsheltered street counts fell in some categories.
Executive Director Shereen McSpadden told commissioners that the 2024 PIT counted about 4,355 unsheltered people and 3,969 people in shelters, and that total homelessness increased roughly 7% since 2022 to an estimated 8,300 people. McSpadden said the department will present a fuller data briefing in August, including exits from housing by reason and destination.
McSpadden also summarized operational activity: outreach staff made more than 1,400 placements into shelter during the fiscal year to date and conducted more than 1,200 coordinated entry assessments in April. She highlighted prevention work that had served roughly 1,266 households with about $8.4 million in financial assistance to avoid homelessness and noted that direct placements into permanent housing via Street‑to‑Home numbered 56 through April.
The director flagged a sharp rise in families counted during the PIT, reporting 437 homeless families, 143 of whom were found unsheltered and sleeping in vehicles. To address family needs, McSpadden said the mayor's proposed budget includes targeted rapid‑rehousing slots, hotel vouchers and a $37.6 million family package that would require Prop C ordinance changes to allow multi‑year subsidies.
McSpadden also said the department would relaunch a BIPOC equity capacity fund after revising the solicitation to comply with state law, apologizing for the need to cancel earlier preliminary funding notifications and saying, "We're gonna get back out with the new solicitation and really wanna support the organizations that we know need this funding."
Why it matters: The PIT remains the city's main snapshot of homelessness and drives short‑term operational planning and budget advocacy. Commissioners pressed staff for preliminary insights into why chronic homelessness increased 9% and asked that the August presentation include deeper cause analysis and per‑capita cost context.
What happens next: HSH will return in August with the full PIT count report and additional data on exits and reasons; commissioners and staff said they will continue to press for state HAP funding to avoid future service cuts.
