Utah leaders claim homelessness saw its first decline in years

SALT LAKE CITY — The state of Utah has seen its first decline in homelessness in recent state history. The Governor’s Office made the announcement on Tuesday.

According to the Governor, Utah’s 2026 Point-in-Time Count (PIT) saw a 1.6% decrease in Utahns experiencing homelessness on a single night.

This year’s PIT count was conducted in January.

“I am hopeful about the changes we are seeing in Utah,” said Gov. Cox. “This year’s reversal in the number of individuals experiencing homelessness on the streets of Utah is the result of sustained legislative investment, strong partnership across state and local governments, and continued work from service providers, advocates, and community stakeholders.”

According to the count, 4,512 Utahns were counted as experiencing homelessness. That is a drop from 4,584 the year before.

Chronic homelessness also saw a decline in Utah over the past year. According to the PIT count, the number of people experiencing chronic homelessness, or being homeless for a long period of time while also living with a disabling condition, fell from 1,233 to 1,151, a 6.7% decrease.

State leaders add that they are encouraged by the drop of unsheltered homeless in the Beehive State. According to the most recent PIT count, the number of people unsheltered fell from 1,046 to 945 in 2026.

Officials say that this is noteworthy given that Code Blue nights (when shelter capacity expands) dropped from 120 in 2025 to just 68 in 2026.

“The 2025 unsheltered count was recorded under significantly more expansive shelter conditions,” the Governor’s office wrote. “This year’s decline occurred with fewer such nights, making it a more durable indicator of system performance.”