Point‑in‑time count shows regional decline; Bend officials highlight shelter and transition gains

Brooke, the city’s homeless services coordinator, and regional partners presented results from the January 26 point‑in‑time (PIT) count. The regional lead reported 176 people experiencing literal homelessness in central Oregon on that date and said this represented a reported 19.1% decrease from the prior year. Brooke stressed the PIT count is a single‑night, self‑reported snapshot that does not capture doubled‑up households, and she emphasized economic factors as the most frequent immediate cause of homelessness reported in the survey.

Speakers said a majority of people identified in the count were unsheltered and noted that recent local and state investments had increased the number of people sheltered and connected to services. The city reiterated its biennial goals for 2025–27: maintain 525 shelter beds, increase safe parking capacity and transition 300 people into permanent housing; staff reported current tallies toward those goals (for example, roughly 591 shelter beds supported, 35 completed safe‑parking spaces and 107 transitions to date in the biennium).

Officials cautioned that PIT counts are one measure among many and emphasized HMIS data quality improvements to allow more precise tracking of where people move into shelter or housing as interventions come online. The committee did not vote on policy changes at the meeting but asked staff to provide more detailed breakdowns on transitions, safe‑parking lengths of stay and the relationship between new shelter capacity and the PIT decline.