Philadelphia’s unsheltered homeless population shrinks by 39%, according to latest point-in-time count

From Philly and the Pa. suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Let us know!

The number of people experiencing homelessness in Philadelphia has dropped by about 7%, according to new city data.

Volunteers, nonprofits and city workers who conducted Philly’s annual point-in-time census count on Feb. 25 found that 5,163 people were living in shelters and outside on the streets, down from the 5,516 people recorded the prior winter.

Among those experiencing homelessness, about 711 people were living or sleeping outside, which represented a 39% drop from the previous year, according to count results released Wednesday.

It is the first decrease in unsheltered homelessness that the city has seen in two years, officials said.

“The [point-in-time] results are encouraging, but they still demonstrate the need for continued work to expand shelter, outreach, behavioral health services and affordable housing so every Philadelphian has access to safe, stable places to live,” Cheryl Hill, executive director of the city Office of Homeless Services, said in a statement.

Another 4,452 individuals and families were counted as living in emergency shelters and transitional housing.

The annual point-in-time count is done to collect information on people who are homeless, including age, sex, race and ethnicity. The data can then guide city agencies and partnering organizations on where more resources are needed, officials said.

The number of people living or sleeping outside had been on the rise since 2023, city data shows, until this year. Leaders at the Office of Homeless Services credited Mayor Cherelle Parker’s plan to end street homelessness, which has included increasing the number of shelter beds throughout the city.

Philadelphia had about 2,700 shelter beds in 2025. Parker committed to adding another 1,000 beds at city-operated facilities and centers run by community organizations dedicated to homelessness and housing support.

However, not all residents who are considered unsheltered and living outside want to move into indoor shelters.

Some people living in outdoor encampments have said that facilities can be overcrowded, understaffed and restrictive in terms of who can stay there and when. They prefer to live in makeshift encampments with others they trust while they wait for more permanent housing.

Encampment residents and homeless advocates have called on the city to establish alternative safe sleep sites with bathrooms, showers and a mailing address where social workers and outreach specialists can easily find them with resources.