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Hays County homeless coalition reports 2026 PIT: more unsheltered, asks for consolidated funding and HUD grant coordination
Summary
The Hays County Homeless Coalition reported 151 people counted in the 2026 Point‑in‑Time survey (94 unsheltered, 57 sheltered), highlighted school McKinney‑Vento data showing 238 homeless children countywide, and requested county support to pursue consolidated, predictable funding for prevention, rapid rehousing and outreach.
Nancy Hines, a board member of the Hays County Homeless Coalition, presented the 2026 point‑in‑time (PIT) count and said the count is a snapshot used to guide federal HUD funding and local program planning. "This is a mere snapshot," Hines said, noting volunteers conducted a 24‑hour census and submitted data via the Counting Us app.
Hines reported the PIT results used in the presentation: 151 total individuals on the night of the count, with 94 unsheltered and 57 sheltered. She emphasized the county saw a shift toward more unsheltered individuals, which "suggests growing system strain and barriers to accessing shelter." The coalition asked the court to coordinate a consolidated approach to applying for HUD Emergency Solutions Grants and other federal funding.
Lisa Young, co‑chair of the coalition and executive director of the Hays County Food Bank, presented McKinney‑Vento school homelessness numbers and said that for the current school year the McKinney‑Vento reports identify 238 homeless children across county school districts (San Marcos, Hays CISD, Dripping Springs, Wimberley). Young said those numbers do not include parents, infants or out‑of‑school siblings and urged the court to consider predictable, sustainable funding rather than ad‑hoc one‑time allocations.
Commissioners thanked coalition leaders and asked county grants staff to identify state and federal funding opportunities. Commissioner Inglesby said she would work with county grants staff to find applicable programs and Commissioner Cohen said the county should help coordinate grant applications. The court recorded an intent to pursue follow‑up discussions to identify grants and a more unified funding strategy.
