FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BALTIMORE, MD (Thursday, June 25, 2026) – Today, the Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services (MOHS), in coordination with the Baltimore City Continuum of Care (CoC), released the 2026 Baltimore City Point-in-Time (PIT) Count Report. Every year, jurisdictions across the United States conduct a PIT Count during the last 10 days of January. The PIT Count provides important data on the number of people experiencing homelessness locally, regionally, and nationally.
On January 25, 2026, the night of the 2026 count,1,595 people were identified as residing in emergency shelters and transitional housing. The unsheltered count is 188 per the 2025 PIT count, due to extreme weather conditions the 2026 unsheltered count was not conducted.
Key Findings
The latest data indicates a decrease in people experiencing homelessness by 12% between 2025 and 2026, however chronic homelessness increased by 7%.
Families and Children: 12% of households experiencing homelessness indicated that they were a part of a household that has at least one adult and one child. This is a decrease by 2.7% from 2025.
Veteran Homelessness: The veteran population experiencing homelessness accounted for 9% of the total population, a decrease by 2%, continuing a steady downward trend due to targeted housing and support initiatives.
Older Adults: 11% of our homeless population are seniors over the age of 65 years of age. This is a decrease by 12% in 2025.
Compared to the city’s overall demographics, individuals experiencing homelessness tend to be older, particularly in sheltered settings. These findings highlight the urgent need for age-appropriate strategies, supportive services, and permanent housing options that meet the needs of middle-aged and older adults experiencing prolonged housing instability.
The PIT Count is a critical planning tool for identifying needs, allocating resources, and shaping policy. Beyond providing a snapshot in time, the findings also reflect the broader challenges and resilience of Baltimore’s communities. This highlights the importance of continued collaboration between city agencies, nonprofit partners, and residents to expand affordable housing, invest in behavioral health, and address the root causes of homelessness. Together, these efforts move Baltimore closer to building a housing system that is equitable, sustainable, and centered on dignity for every resident.
Read the full 2026 Baltimore City Point-in-Time (PIT) Count Report.
Comprehensive Picture- 2025 Annual Report:
In 2025, in collaboration with agencies, providers, and community organizations, our community served over 21,000 clients through street outreach, emergency shelters, permanent housing and supportive services. This includes serving over 4,000 clients with permanent housing and celebrating with more than 1,000 residents who transitioned out of homelessness over the past year and entered permanent housing. To learn more about our 2025 impact you can view the full 2025 Annual Report, on our website at https://www.baltimorecity.gov/homeless.
Grant Opportunities:
To help local organizations continuing their work with people experiencing homelessness, MOHS and the Baltimore City Continuum of Care (CoC) are now accepting proposals for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) CoC Competition and Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program Grants. Each year, HUD releases the CoC Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Last year, the CoC was awarded over $31 million in funding to support permanent supportive housing, rapid re-housing, transitional housing, supportive services, and infrastructure projects.
Eligible applicants including nonprofit organizations, public housing authorities, state and local governments are encouraged to apply. Please visit www.baltimorecity.gov/homeless/grant-opportunities for more information.
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Contact:
Jessica Robey, Public Information Officer jessica.robey@baltimorecity.gov
Baltimore City Mayor's Office of Homeless Services