Eureka police present 2026 homeless-survey findings, flag service gaps and shifting shelter use

Eureka Police Department officials on Tuesday presented findings from their 2026 four‑week homeless survey, saying the locally conducted, self‑reported sample included 239 surveys collected in March and April and is intended to provide in‑person, case‑linked insights distinct from the county’s one‑day point‑in‑time (PIT) count.

“Since 2018 we’ve run this survey every two years,” said Commander LaFrance, noting the city’s instrument is not tied to funding decisions the way the PIT is and that all responses are self‑reported. He told the council the department uses SurveyMonkey to collect about 40 questions and cautioned that some totals do not add to 100 percent because of item nonresponse.

The presentation compared historical survey tallies (2018: 190; 2020: 205; 2022: 249; 2024: 221; 2026: 239) and highlighted demographic patterns: the modal age group was roughly 40–44; roughly two‑thirds to 70 percent of respondents identified as male; and self‑reported race was predominantly white (about 79 percent). The survey also found about half of respondents reported chronic physical disabilities and roughly 47 percent reported a diagnosed or treated mental‑health condition.

A major shift the presenters emphasized was where people slept the prior night: reported shelter use fell from about 46 percent in prior surveys to about 26 percent in 2026, while street, alleyway and doorway sleeping increased. “There’s a pretty big drop, and I’m not sure why,” LaFrance said, inviting follow‑up from sergeant Ross and other partners.

Sergeant Ross and other staff attributed some of the shelter decline to where outreach teams conducted interviews and to people’s preferences for locations with services and perceived safety. Ross said outreach teams often find people clustered where meals and services are available and that some shelter clients decline to participate in on‑site surveys.

The survey also probed substance use and treatment access. LaFrance reported methamphetamine daily use as a notable recurring issue and said fentanyl has displaced some heroin use. He and other staff said treatment intake has shifted toward appointment‑based processes — a change they and council members tied to staffing and insurance rules that make immediate “drop‑in” fast‑tracking harder than in prior years.

“Right now we don’t have that [same fast‑track] — it’s like, now it’s next Tuesday,” one presenter said, describing the impact on officers trying to link someone to treatment during a single outreach contact.

Council members pressed for explanations about declining treatment access and the apparent shelter drop. Jacob, a city staffer who advised on the survey, said the rollout and rules around Drug Medi‑Cal and shared regional beds have altered how providers accept referrals and that staffing shortages at detox and rehab facilities sometimes constrain capacity. He and others noted incremental openings of permanent supportive housing (including Bayside Village) have housed people with long histories of homelessness but that wraparound case management remains essential to prevent evictions after placement.

The presenters identified recurring barriers to housing as lack of affordable units, inadequate income, required upfront costs and limited rental histories. They also called out increasing demand for basic services: bathroom access (37 percent) and laundry services rose as needs this year; staff noted the loss of roughly $20,000 per year in laundry funding for a community resource program as a local service gap.

Council members and staff thanked survey teams for conducting more interviews despite outreach staffing shortfalls, and presenters offered to provide the larger raw‑data packet to the city manager for deeper analysis. The council did not take formal action on the presentation itself but discussed possible follow‑up involving housing, service funding and coordination with county partners.

What’s next: staff offered to supply the full 63‑page raw data packet to the city manager for distribution and to refine future survey items (including clarifying a question about whether homelessness reflects “lifestyle choice”), and council members discussed pursuing follow‑up on service gaps and housing supports.