Savannah reviews five‑year homelessness strategy as 2026 point‑in‑time count shows 582 people

City of Savannah leaders presented a five‑year review of homelessness strategy at a council workshop, reporting investments, program outcomes and a 2026 point‑in‑time (PIT) count that found 582 people experiencing homelessness.

Chief of Community Services Ashley Marshall told the council the city’s response has three funding layers — federal (HUD CoC, ESG, HOME‑ARP, CDBG, HOPWA), local capital (SPLOST, Savannah Affordable Housing Fund) and local operating (general‑fund grants and contracts) — and listed policy milestones including the Housing Savannah Action Plan (2021), an interagency council on homelessness (resolution 2022) and an urban camping ordinance (2025). "Since fiscal year 2022, council has appropriated about $3.66 million in general‑fund dollars toward ending homelessness," Marshall said, and she gave citywide totals of roughly $16.25 million directed by Housing Services and $12.3 million administered by Human Services — "approximately $28.5 million in total city‑directed investments since September 2021," she said.

The homeless authority provided the PIT update. "As of the 2026 point‑in‑time count, 582 individuals were experiencing homelessness in our community — 478 in sheltered settings and 104 unsheltered," Jennifer Dong said, adding that unsheltered homelessness declined 62% from the 2023 baseline and chronic homelessness fell 59%. Dong credited relationship‑based street outreach, expanded transportation and reconnection supports for those reductions and said the system helped more than 1,765 people exit to safe, stable housing in 2025.

Stephanie Cable, executive director of the regional interagency council (CH), described the CH’s role in coordinating providers and highlighted program innovations such as after‑hours intake and extended outreach. Cable also offered enforcement data from the city’s urban camping policy: "We’ve had 486 citations issued and 96 arrests," she said, noting many cited individuals later engaged in services. Cable characterized a smaller cohort of service‑resistant individuals who account for a disproportionate share of repeat citations and arrests.

Council discussion focused on where services are located and whether investments are distributed equitably across the city. Several members urged more resources on the south side: "We have to provide the resource in the community for those individuals to at least be able to go there and get the resource they need," Alderman Perti said. City staff and presenters said the day center opening next to Union Mission was fundraised by partners and that the city is exploring provider interest in southside sites, including hotel rehabs and available city parcels.

Officials also flagged gaps. Dong noted family and hidden homelessness as priorities: school district data show about 1,081 students identified under the McKinney‑Vento definition of housing instability in the 2024–25 academic year, and Dong said the community has only about one family shelter bed for every six unaccompanied adult beds. Speakers repeatedly raised the need for integrated behavioral‑health and substance‑use services, prevention, and family shelter capacity.

The workshop concluded with a procedural motion. Council moved and seconded a recess to an executive session for real estate and litigation; the motion carried and the meeting recessed to the third floor for that session.

What happens next: staff said the CH general membership (continuum‑of‑care) meets that evening and encouraged council to use the upcoming budget season to target the program and infrastructure priorities discussed at the workshop — family shelter capacity, southside day‑center access, outreach hours and behavioral‑health partnerships.

(Reporting based exclusively on remarks at the City of Savannah council workshop; numbers, program names and statutory references reflect what presenters cited during the meeting.)