Chatham Savannah Authority for the Homeless (CSAH), on behalf of the Chatham Savannah County Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH), released the 2026 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, showing continued progress in the community’s homelessness response efforts since 2023.

The annual HUD-required count identified 582 individuals experiencing homelessness on a single night in January 2026, including 478 sheltered individuals and 104 unsheltered individuals.

Since 2023, Chatham County has experienced:

• 62% reduction in unsheltered homelessness
• 59% reduction in chronic homelessness
• 83% reduction in encampments
• 95% housing retention rate
• Only 3% returning to homelessness after stabilization

The report also found that 76% of individuals experiencing homelessness over the last two years entered the system for the first time, underscoring the growing need for homelessness prevention, affordable housing, and early intervention resources.

Community leaders credited the progress to the collaborative work of local governments, nonprofits, healthcare providers, law enforcement, outreach teams, and implementation of the Savannah-Chatham County Five-Year Strategic Plan to End Homelessness.

While leaders celebrated progress, they emphasized that chronic homelessness remains a significant challenge requiring expanded supportive housing, behavioral health resources, and targeted interventions.

Read the full 2026 PIT Report: https://canva.link/u7ffk7c3wcp3ivu