Clark County announced Wednesday that the annual daylong census of Southern Nevada’s homeless population will not take place this year, but was slated to return in 2026.
The census consists of volunteers taking to the streets to tally the amount of people living there over a matter of hours.
The “Point in Time Count” report, which is produced in subsequent months, is required by the Department of Housing and Urban Development in order to qualify for certain federal grants.
The results also inform local governments on the state of homelessness and their social services programs. The county said in a statement that the new approach continues to meet HUD guidelines.
The Southern Nevada Continuum of Care’s board decided to hold the next point-in-time census during the last 10 days of January 2026, according to a statement.
The inter-agency coalition “plans and coordinates funding for services and housing” for people experiencing homelessness.
It wasn’t immediately clear when that decision was made.
The frequency of future censuses would be determined after those results are evaluated, the county said.
“This biennial approach offers several advantages,” the county said. “This includes a greater dedication of time and resources to implement and evaluate effective homeless intervention strategies.”
Clark County said the change facilitates “more thorough planning, comprehensive volunteer training, and ultimately, more accurate and reliable data collection.”
“By extending the planning and recruitment period, the biennial count aims to attract and engage a larger pool of volunteers, ensuring broader community participation,” the county said.
Population likely undercounted
The 2024 census conducted that January revealed that there were 7,906 sheltered and unsheltered homeless persons in Southern Nevada. That was a 20 percent overall increase over 2023 and the highest figure reported in a decade.
The 4,202 people tallied living in the streets represented a 7 percent year-over-year increase.
The number of persons identified in shelters increased by 40 percent, an indication that an “expansion of shelter access” led to an increase of people benefitting from social services, according to the county.
“It’s important to recognize that no PIT Count can fully capture the complete extent of homelessness due to several factors,” read the local 2024 report.
The increase of homeless persons counted in Southern Nevada in 2024 coincides with an ongoing shortage of affordable housing.
While rents in Southern Nevada “remained relatively stable” between 2018 to 2022, they “rose significantly by 20 percent” the following year, according to the report.
National homeless crisis
HUD reported to federal lawmakers that daylong censuses across the U.S. counted 771,480 homeless Americans in 2024, an 18 percent year-over-year increase and the highest number “ever reported.”
The agency estimated that 23 out of every 10,000 people living in the country are homeless.
HUD cited multiple factors that “likely contributed to this historically high number.”
“Our worsening national affordable housing crisis, rising inflation, stagnating wages among middle-and lower-income households, and the persisting effects of systemic racism have stretched homelessness services systems to their limits,” the report said.
“Additional public health crises, natural disasters that displaced people from their homes, rising numbers of people immigrating to the U.S., and the end to homelessness prevention programs put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the end of the expanded child tax credit, have exacerbated this already stressed system,” the report added.
HUD said there were spikes among most demographics, including families and unaccompanied children.
On a positive note, the number of veterans experiencing homelessness nationally decreased by 8 percent. HUD credited targeted social services for the change.
Gov. Joe Lombardo said last week that a $200 million public-private partnership to combat homelessness in Southern Nevada was moving forward.
Nevada committed $100 million through the 2023 Legislature to help build a 26-acre transitional housing complex at West Charleston and South Jones boulevards in Las Vegas. The resort industry pledged to match the funds.
The model was inspired by the “Haven for Hope” campus in San Antonio, Texas, where local elected officials have traveled in recent years.
“By bringing together the state, local governments and business community partners, the Campus for Hope exemplifies Nevada’s commitment to innovative results-driven solutions,” Lombardo said during his recent State of the State speech. “More than just a building, the campus represents the promise of a better future.”
Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.
