Courtesy of Bridging the Gap. Volunteers and outreach workers survey the homeless population during the Jan. 26, 2026, Point in Time Count.
Thursday, May 14, 2026 12:04 am
KAILUA-KONA — Bridging the Gap, a coalition of agencies dedicated to ending homelessness on the Neighbor Islands, presented the results of the 2026 Homeless Point in Time Count at the West Hawaii Civic Center in Kona on Wednesday.
The Homeless Point in Time (PIT) Count is a federally mandated annual census designed to identify every individual sleeping on the streets, in vehicles, or in other areas not meant for human habitation, according to a press release from Bridging the Gap.
This year, volunteers and outreach workers canvassed across Maui, Kauai and Hawaii Island, asking unsheltered residents, “Where did you sleep on the night of Jan. 25, 2026?”
“While we are encouraged by a 10 percent reduction in sheltered homelessness, the slight rise in those living unsheltered — from 1,276 to 1,305 people — remind us that our work is far from finished,” said Brandee Menino, the Bridging the Gap chair. “It is a clear signal that we must continue to move beyond temporary fixes and invest heavily in permanent, supportive housing that people can realistically afford.”
The 2026 report includes comparative data from 2018 through 2026, and while the PIT Count is a one-night snapshot rather than a total census of all who experience homelessness throughout the year, it remains a significant metric for tracking trends in order to help stakeholders better understand homelessness in their communities.
On the island of Kauai, the PIT Count revealed that total homelessness, sheltered and unsheltered, decreased by 1 percent, from 523 in 2024 to 516 in 2026.
Unsheltered homelessness decreased by 5 percent, from 464 in 2024 to 440 in 2026, and sheltered homelessness increased by 28 percent, from 59 in 2024 to 76 in 2026.
Chronic homelessness increased by 8 percent, from 156 in 2024 to 169 in 2026.
“Kauai’s 2026 PIT Count shows meaningful progress, with overall unsheltered homelessness decreasing by 5 percent, and unsheltered family homelessness decreasing by nearly 26 percent,” said Makana Kamibayashi, chair of the Kauai Community Alliance. “At the same time, the increase in the sheltered count suggests that more individuals and families are successfully connecting to shelters, housing resources, and supportive services.
“While the rise in chronic homelessness reminds us that many people still require intensive, long-term support, these results demonstrate the positive impact of coordinated community efforts. Continued investment in affordable housing, outreach, behavioral health services, and core programs are essential to sustaining this progress, and creating long-term housing stability for Kauai residents.”
Similar reports are available for Maui and Hawaii Island.
For the Neighbor Islands overall, the results of the 2026 PIT data show a 2 percent reduction in total homelessness from 1,895 to 1,863; a 10 percent reduction in sheltered homelessness — from 619 in 2024 to 558 in 2026; a 2 percent increase in unsheltered homelessness — from 1,276 in 2024 to 1,305 in 2026; and a 6 percent reduction in family households experiencing homelessness — from 133 families in 2024 to 125 in 2026.
The full report provides more detailed information on the Point in Time Count, or Bridging the Gap. All of the reports are available at the website https://bit.ly/4diYgwp.