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Update on the 2026 Unsheltered PIT Count

Each year, Lake County Coalition for the Homeless volunteers spend one night in January counting unsheltered people experiencing homelessness in Lake County. An unsheltered count is required by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development every other year, though Lake County has historically done it every year. However, due to recently announced changes in federal funding that have shifted staff attention to ensuring critical continuation of programming, the Lake County Coalition for the Homeless, in partnership with Lake County Community Development, will not conduct the unsheltered portion of the annual Point-In-Time (PIT) Count in January 2026. This decision reflects a careful balance between current realities and our commitment to maintaining high-quality data and a stable local homeless response system.

While this unsheltered count will not take place in 2026, the Continuum of Care team and Homeless Management Information System Administrator will still complete all required data collection for people experiencing homelessness who are staying in emergency shelters, transitional housing and permanent housing programs.

We remain confident that the sheltered count and housing inventory data collected will provide valuable information to support planning and informed decision-making across Lake County.

A summary of the 2026 Point-In-Time and Housing Inventory data will be released in spring 2026.

For questions, please contact Malin Gembra, Continuum Care Coordinator, at MGembra@lakecountyil.gov.

FY2026 HOME Illinois Funding

The Funding Work Group reviewed the SPSP recommendations and program utilization data from the prior year and approved the funding recommendations to continue supporting critical shelter diversion, rapid rehousing, and permanent supportive housing services. Funding amounts remain consistent with the previous year. You can few the FY2026 HOME Illinois Funding recommendations here.

IDHS Homeless Prevention Funding

The Funding Work Group reviewed the Letters of Intent (LOIs) and made funding recommendations based on factors such as prior year spending, project reach, and additional criteria. You can take a look at the FY2026 funding recommendations here.

2025 Homeless Data

The Lake County Coalition for the Homeless has compiled local data to better understand and address homelessness in our community. Drawing from multiple sources—including the Point-in-Time Count, System Performance Measures, and the Annual Assessment of Coordinated Entry—this data provides valuable insight into the challenges faced by individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

These findings guide our efforts to develop lasting solutions and ensure that homelessness in Lake County becomes rare, brief, and nonrecurring.

Learn more from the 2025 Homeless Data Summary (pdf).