For Immediate Release: Thursday, May 15, 2025

The number of adults and children experiencing homelessness in Montgomery County increased by 356 individuals, an overall increase of 32% from 2024, according to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) 2025 Point-in-Time (PIT) survey report released May 14. The PIT survey is part of an annual regional analysis and report that started in 2001. According to the 2025 report, four jurisdictions in the Metropolitan Washington area included in the survey recorded an increase in the number of persons experiencing homelessness and four reported decreases when compared with the 2024 count.

Numerous factors contribute to the increase, including the lack of affordable housing in Montgomery County, continually increasing rents, inflation and the end of the COVID-era Federal Emergency Rental Assistance Program funds, all leading to increased evictions. The factors contributing to the increase in homelessness have had a particularly adverse impact on families since the pandemic. Overall, the number of homeless people counted in family households increased from 396 in 2024 to 712 in 2025, an 80% increase. The number of households counted increased to 204 from 103 in the previous year, a 98% increase. The average household size was a family of four, the same as last year.

“We know that Montgomery County needs more affordable housing, and this year’s data is a stark illustration of the situation,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “Sadly, there are too many families in our community who struggle daily to maintain a roof over their heads, and the increasing cost of necessities makes stable, affordable housing unattainable for them. Rent stabilization institutes predictability for many renters, but some of our most vulnerable residents need more help. This year, we launched the Short-Term Housing and Resolution Program for families and have been working intensively with this critical program.”

Montgomery County’s PIT count was conducted on the night of Jan. 29, 2025, as part of the nationwide effort to count people experiencing homelessness, including:

• Individuals who are unsheltered and living outside.
• Individuals who are staying in an emergency or hypothermia shelter.
• Individuals who are living in transitional shelter where they receive supportive services designed to help them move into some form of permanent housing.

The count is a snapshot of one given night, and the numbers should be considered within the context of year-round numbers.

Montgomery County’s survey counted 1,510 adults and children experiencing homelessness and residing in shelters, transitional housing or who were unsheltered. This includes 796 adult-only households and 204 families with minor children.

The Montgomery County Continuum of Care (CoC) is a public-private partnership that includes State and local government agencies, nonprofit service providers, landlords and other stakeholders who have a role in preventing and ending homelessness. Led by the County’s Department of Health and Human Services, the CoC works to provide a continuum of housing services to individuals and families, including outreach and engagement, emergency and transitional shelter, rapid re-housing and permanent supportive housing. Case management is provided with an emphasis on removing housing barriers and connecting people with housing, employment, disability entitlements and other mainstream services. The continuum also utilizes a range of prevention initiatives, including emergency financial assistance, rent subsidies and energy assistance, to prevent the loss of permanent housing.

The Short-term Housing and Resolution Program (SHaRP) is a locally funded program that successfully housed many people during the pandemic when it was piloted. It provides a security deposit, the first month’s rent and a rental subsidy for 12 months to allow sheltered or unsheltered households to move into housing. Navigators are available to provide resource connections and monthly check-ins to support households in maintaining their housing. Since its inception in late 2020, SHaRP has assisted over 700 households to move into their own permanent housing with only a 22% overall return rate. The County provided a special appropriation for SHaRP in December 2024 to help the increasing number of families in the shelter system move into housing. As of the beginning of May, 111 families have moved into housing using this funding.

The COG report said: “After two consecutive years of increases following the historic low in 2022, the region saw a slight decline in the number of people experiencing homelessness in 2025. This year’s results varied across jurisdictions, with four recording increases and four reporting decreases compared to last year’s count, where seven of eight jurisdictions recorded increases.

“Montgomery County has made significant strides toward boosting housing support and social services to support residents experiencing housing insecurity,” said Montgomery County Council President Kate Stewart. “But we still have much work ahead of us. With unprecedented levels of need and a 32% increase in Montgomery County’s homeless population over the last year, the Council is set to allocate $61 million for Services to End and Prevent Homelessness in the upcoming fiscal year budget. As the needs of our community grow, we need a comprehensive, multifaceted and regional approach to make the experience of homelessness rare, brief and nonrecurring.”

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