This morning, Mayor Kate Gallego joined volunteers and City staff for the 2025 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, the annual street and shelter count that determines the number of people experiencing homelessness throughout Maricopa County during a given point in time, as part of a national effort to identify the extent of homelessness across the country.
“The annual Point-in-Time Count is a critical tool that helps cities and counties better understand the needs of the unsheltered population and provide resources accordingly,” Gallego said. “While last year’s count dropped, we know we have a lot more work to do to end this crisis and put those experiencing homelessness on a path to housing. The City will not lose sight of this priority and will continue investing in both temporary and permanent solutions that get people off the streets.”
Last year’s PIT Count report revealed:
- The number of unsheltered individuals in Phoenix decreased by 19 percent, from 3,333 people in 2023 to 2,701 in 2024.
- The number of people experiencing homelessness who are sheltered increased by 15 percent, from 3,569 in 2023 to 4,115 in 2024.
- The total population of people experiencing homelessness in Phoenix decreased by just over 1 percent, from 6,902 in 2023 to 6,816 in 2024.
- Phoenix was sheltering more than 75 percent of the Maricopa County homeless population.
Because of a series of investments by the City Council, Phoenix is funding more shelter beds than at any time in the city’s history. Despite an improvement in numbers in 2024, Mayor Kate Gallego said there’s still much to do to help those experiencing homelessness to get into permanent housing. The region experienced a significant increase in homelessness following the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the last two years, the City of Phoenix built more than 1,400 shelter beds and is on track to deliver close to 450 more by the end of this year.
The homelessness challenge across the U.S. is posing a public health, public safety, and economic threat. Phoenix has converted hotels to temporary housing, used federal relief dollars to build homes made of shipping containers, and expanded wraparound services in partnership with Phoenix non-profits.
