Every year, cities across the US conduct a Point-in-Time (PIT) Count to provide a snapshot of homelessness on a single night. Although this annual census almost always underestimates the true scope of homelessness, it remains one of the most valuable tools for informing policy, planning, and funding decisions. The District’s 26th consecutive PIT Count took place on February 4, and in May, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) released the official results and analysis. Typically, DC’s housing and homelessness service agencies, known as Continuum of Care (CoC) providers, collaborate with volunteers and outreach workers to conduct in-person interviews with people experiencing homelessness. This year, however, data collection relied primarily on CoC providers’ electronic records and statistical modeling based on previous years’ counts. 

Throughout 2025, more than 200 CoC agencies in DC provided housing and homelessness services to 8,818 unaccompanied individuals and 1,308 families. Over 2,220 households moved into permanent housing, marking the highest number of lease-ups ever recorded in a year. Despite this achievement, homelessness increased by 4.4 percent in DC, driven almost entirely by a 15.8 percent uptick in family homelessness. On the night of the count, 530 families, including 597 adults and 971 children, were experiencing homelessness. Mayor Bowser and MWCOG attributed this increase to policy shifts that have extended shelter stays while providers work to place families in permanent housing and reduce reentry into the homelessness system. The data appears to support this claim as providers reported a 30 percent decrease in families entering the shelter system in 2025, but only time will tell if these changes enact meaningful lasting change. 

Who is Most Impacted by Homelessness? 

The disproportionate impact of homelessness on communities that have historically faced discrimination reveals how systemic inequity continues to shape housing access and opportunity in the US. Black Americans, in particular, remain widely overrepresented in the homeless population. Nationally, Black individuals make up only 12 percent of the US population but account for 32 percent of all people experiencing homelessness. In DC, the disparity is even more pronounced; Black residents comprise 43.4 percent of the DC population, but represent 67 percent of single adults and 80 percent of adults in families experiencing homelessness. These disparities underscore the lasting impacts of housing discrimination and the persistence of racial inequality in the nation’s capital. Addressing homelessness in DC therefore requires policies and investments that not only expand affordable housing and homelessness prevention efforts, but also advance racial equity and economic mobility. 

Notably absent from DC’s 2026 PIT Count data on LGBTQ+ homelessness. Although LGBTQ+ individuals experience homelessness at significantly higher rates, with LGBTQ+ youth being 120 percent more likely than their peers to become homeless, there is only a single mention of LGBTQ+ homelessness in MWCOG’s 131-page report. This marks a departure from previous years and may reflect recent shifts within the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) away from Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Since his appointment by President Trump in February 2025, HUD Secretary Scott Turner has eliminated  DEI as a policy consideration, removing entire webpages containing DEI language. At the same time, the Trump administration is working to remove critical protections for the LGBTQ+ community provided by HUD’s Equal Access Rule. The omission of LGBTQ+ data alongside enduring racial disparities raises concerns about which communities are represented and prioritized in homelessness research. Ensuring that data captures the experiences of marginalized groups is vital to developing equitable solutions and long-term change. 

Preserving the Path to Housing in 2026 

Comparing local data to national trends is essential to understanding how these numbers fit into the broader picture of American life. While national PIT Count data is usually published at the end of each year, HUD has yet to publish the 2024-2025 results. In the absence of updated data, recent policy developments offer important context. In DC, the combination of mass federal layoffs, the longest government shutdown to date, and an unexpected $1.1 billion cut to the city budget has left many residents facing greater economic strain. For years, cost of living in DC has far outpaced wage growth; today, a person working a minimum wage job in DC ($17.95 hourly) needs to work 88 hours a week to afford a market-rate one-bedroom apartment. 

While DC’s affordability crisis predates the second Trump administration, recent policies have intensified financial hardship for many Washingtonians. In response to the $1.1 billion budget shortfall, the DC Council approved legislation that rendered 16,000 DC residents ineligible for Medicaid in 2026. Further weakening the social safety net, President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” plans to significantly cut federal funding for SNAP and Medicaid in the coming years. The White House has also targeted funding and support for affordable housing and homelessness prevention programs. In July 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) titled “Ending Crime and Homelessness on America’s Streets,” which calls for an end to Housing First, the leading evidence-based approach to homelessness that prioritizes providing permanent housing without preconditions. 

The past year has been incredibly challenging for DC families and service providers alike. In the midst of dwindling local and federal government funding, providers have struggled to meet the growing demand for services and resources, and families were left with fewer tools and support. Housing Up is a Housing First organization that provides permanent supportive housing (PSH) and affordable housing to low-income and formerly homeless families, and we know first-hand the gravity of these policy decisions. With DC primaries just around the corner, you can use your voice to elect candidates that prioritize affordable housing and critical support services. Read more about the DC candidates here and vote by June 16 to help ensure a brighter future for the nearly 600 families we serve.