The annual Point-in-Time count identified 1,039 people experiencing homelessness in Brevard County on Jan. 22, 2026. Volunteers searched shelters, parking lots, wooded camps, motels and street corners across the county to document the numbers. The count showed a 2% drop from 2025 but marked a 26% rise since 2016, when 827 people were counted.
Amber Carroll, executive director of the Brevard Homeless Coalition, said the data highlights a housing affordability crisis. "The rise in homelessness closely mirrors the decline in available housing inventory," she said. The count is part of a federal effort to track homelessness nationwide and allocate resources.
The number of people living unsheltered declined 12% compared to 2025, while the sheltered population grew 16%. Carroll noted that many homeless families and seniors go uncounted, suggesting the actual number is higher. "What really stands out is that the rise in homelessness closely mirrors the decline in available housing inventory," she said.
The Brevard Homeless Coalition works with partners to conduct the count each January. Despite common perceptions that people come to Florida for warm weather, Carroll said most homeless individuals in Brevard are long-term residents. The coalition emphasizes that rising rents and a lack of affordable housing are the primary drivers of local homelessness.
The 2026 count found 1,039 people homeless, with some staying in shelters or transitional housing and others sleeping in cars, tents or other unsafe places. The decline in unsheltered homelessness may reflect increased access to shelters, but Carroll stressed that the overall problem remains urgent. "This is fundamentally a housing affordability issue," she said.