Preliminary 2026 Point-in-Time Count Shows Homelessness Rising in Fresno, Madera

Preliminary results from the Fresno Madera Continuum of Care’s annual Point-in-Time count show homelessness rose in Fresno and Madera counties, signaling added pressure on shelter capacity and local services as the data await federal review and certification.

Volunteers mobilized in a two-day effort that began the night of Tuesday, Jan. 27 and continued into the afternoon of Jan. 28. Hundreds of trained volunteers assembled at the Ted C. Wells Community Center before deploying across the region in high-visibility vests to conduct in-person counts and administer a short survey asking unhoused residents how they arrived at their current situation. Organizers reported roughly 300 to more than 300 volunteers took part in the effort.

The FMCoC’s preliminary findings point to an increase in overall homelessness compared with last year, with a continuing upward trend that leaders say has persisted over several years. The count combined direct observation with extrapolated data and included outreach across 37 actively counted zip codes out of 67 in FMCoC’s two-county jurisdiction. “We have a very large county, so not all areas are specifically counted,” said FMCoC Chair Laura Moreno. “Out of the 67 zip codes across the jurisdictions, we had folks in 37 of those zip codes actively counting.”

Specific provisional details include a reported increase of 186 people housed in temporary shelters in Madera County and a decline in the number of sheltered individuals in Fresno County. Last year’s street and shelter count was reported at around 4,300 unhoused people across both counties; the most recent certified regional total available is from 2023, when the count recorded 4,493 people across Fresno and Madera combined, up from 4,216 the prior year. Officials caution that methodology changes this year mean 2026 results will be used as a new baseline. “While the improved data collection may result in changes in PIT count numbers, it will not necessarily indicate sudden increases or decreases in homelessness,” the FMCoC press release said. “Because of the shift in methodology, this year’s results should not be directly compared with prior years’ PIT count numbers. The FMCoC will use this year’s data as a new baseline for future comparisons.”

Local leaders point to recent shelter closures and funding shortfalls as complicating factors for rehousing efforts. “This is a really good turnout, and it tells us that people care,” Moreno said, noting the survey detail will help shape locally tailored programs. Moreno also stressed the goal of keeping people from being displaced to the street: “We do not want to exit people onto the street,” she said, referencing efforts to coordinate rehousing amid temporary closures such as the Homekey project on Blackstone.

Final, certified 2026 PIT numbers will be released after FMCoC compiles the complete dataset and it undergoes review by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. For Fresno and Madera residents, the preliminary findings mean continued demand on shelters, case management, and targeted rehousing programs as local officials use the new data to plan services and pursue funding.