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MONDAY, MAY 04-MAY 10, 2026
VOL. 12,
NO. 274
Homelessness decreases again in San Bernardino County
The Trump administration aims to penalize disabled adults who live with their families
By Joe Taglieri
By Eli Hager, ProPublica
joet@beaconmedianews.com
This story was originally published by ProPublica. ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive The Big Story newsletter as soon as it’s published.
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he number of people experiencing homelessness in San Bernardino County has declined for the second consecutive year, according to the results of the 2026 Point-in-Time Count released Wednesday. The count on Jan. 22 identified 3,718 sheltered and unsheltered individuals, which represents a 3.1% decline from 2025. Among those counted, 2,448 people were unsheltered and 1,270 were experiencing sheltered homelessness. Unsheltered county residents decreased by 188 individuals, or 7.1%, compared with last year. The total homeless population declined 10.2% in 2025 after a 1% increase in 2024, a 26% rise in 2023 and 6.6% uptick counted in 2022. “We’re proud of the progress reflected in our Point-in-Time Count numbers,” county Board of Supervisors Chairman and District 3 Supervisor Dawn Rowe said in a statement. “Even with this decrease, we know there is still significant work ahead, and we remain committed to building on these efforts.” Officials said the annual Point-in-Time Count provides a snapshot of the county’s homeless population, enabling officials to monitor progress toward reducing homelessness and direct resources to areas with the most significant needs. The count also plays an important role in securing state and federal grant funding to support people at risk of or experiencing homelessness. County officials attributed the two years of decreases to expanded outreach, increased shelter capacity and spending on permanent supportive housing. “It’s encouraging to see
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District 5 county Supervisor Joe Baca Jr. and a member of the Sheriff ’s Department speak with a person experiencing homelessness during the 2026 point-in-time-count in January. | Photo courtesy of San Bernardino County
a decrease in homelessness this year,” Board of Supervisors Vice Chair and 5th District Supervisor Joe Baca Jr. said in a statement. “It shows that expanded outreach, additional resources from the state and federal government, and coordinated strategies with our partners are all helping to move the needle in the right direction.” Supervisors Paul Cook, Jesse Armendarez and Curt Hagman also issued statements. “We’re pleased to see a continued decline in the numbers,” Cook said. “Thanks to state and federal funding, more people are being placed into housing, and the overall trend continues to move in the right direction.” Armendarez added, “The decline in homelessness is a clear sign that our approach is delivering results. We will continue building on what is working, but lasting success will require sustained investment from our state and federal partners.”
According to Hagman, “The Point-in-Time Count shows the progress our community is making and challenges us to continue to build on the framework that helps people find stability. With strong partnerships and the right resources, we’re helping more people find safe, stable housing, and providing effective local programs to reduce homelessness.” The city of San Bernardino posted a 23.6% decline in overall homelessness, with 1,172 unhoused residents in 2026 and 1,535 counted in 2025. Despite the reductions, some areas saw increases. Fontana’s unhoused population increased over 29%, jumping from 364 individuals counted last year to 470 in 2026. Overall homelessness increased in Montclair from 38 to 55 individuals, or nearly 45%. Adelanto, Apple Valley, See Homelessness Page 24
Barstow, Big Bear CitySugarloaf, Colton, Crestline, Grand Terrace, Hesperia, Joshua Tree, Lenwood, Ontario, Skyforest, Twentynine Palms, Upland, Valley of Enchantment, Yucaipa and Yucca Valley also recorded various percentage increases in overall homelessness. The annual Point-inTime Count is coordinated by the San Bernardino County Homeless Partnership with support from the county Office of Homeless Services. Participants in this year’s count included members of the Board of Supervisors, Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk Josie Gonzales, county employees, homeless service providers, local stakeholders and area residents. “I want to thank all of the volunteers who participated in the annual Point-in-Time Count,” OHS Chief Marcus Dillard said in a statement. “Their work made it possible to carry out a coordinated
ven a glance at Shy’tyra Burton’s life reveals her need for the sort of federal government assistance that helps disabled Americans stay in their homes. Born two months prematurely into a poor family in Philadelphia, unable to breathe or swallow without tubes and largely confined to medical facilities until age 4, Burton was diagnosed with a litany of developmental and intellectual disabilities that left her with an IQ below 70. She persevered and graduated from a high school special education program, then attempted community college. But she struggled to grasp basic tasks and information. She couldn’t get hired, including at McDonald’s. After multiple medical and psychological evaluations and a hearing before a judge, the federal government approved her for the Supplemental Security Income program, which provides a basic income to those with severe disabilities and to indigent older people. For Burton, now 22, the $994 monthly benefit is lifesaving but not enough to completely support herself on her own. So, like many SSI recipients, she has continued to live with her father, who makes around $2,000 a month as a Philadelphia sanitation worker. Now, President Donald Trump’s administration is poised to penalize people like Burton simply for living in the same home as their families, according to four federal officials, internal emails and a federal regulatory listing. The administration is working See Disabled adults Page 07
on a rule change that would deduct the value of a disabled adult’s bedroom from their SSI allotment, even if the family members they live with are poor enough to qualify for food stamps. This would mean slashing the benefits of some of the most low-income SSI recipients by up to a third — about $330 a month in Burton’s case — or ending their support altogether. The effort to cut SSI for families who also rely on food stamps, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, was initiated by top White House and Department of Government Efficiency officials last year, multiple Social Security officials said. It marks a second attempt by the Trump administration to quietly but dramatically downsize disability benefit programs overseen by the Social Security Administration, despite those programs’ strict eligibility standards and minimal instances of fraud. White House Budget Director Russell Vought and Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano abandoned a different proposed regulation involving disability payments last year after ProPublica and other news outlets reported on the harm that the plan would cause to hundreds of thousands of largely bluecollar workers in red states. (The disability programs are administered by the Social Security Administration but separate from the retirement program for which the agency is named. The Trump administration has promised not to cut Social Security retirement payments.)