State to oversee 2026 Rhode Island homeless census

Rhode Island officials will play a direct role in this winter’s statewide census of people experiencing homelessness, marking a new approach to the annual Point in Time Count expected in late January.

For the first time, the Executive Office of Housing will coordinate the network of volunteers who conduct the count. The Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness had led that effort for the past 16 years, while the state mostly reviewed the results and offered limited on-the-ground help. The shift comes as the state continues consolidating its housing oversight and aims to streamline the process.

The coalition will still manage the state’s portion of the Homeless Management Information System through 2028, including data verification and submission to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). However, the organization is currently searching for key staff, including a data analyst, a data liaison, and a new executive director following leadership turnover in September.

The date of the 2026 count has not yet been announced by HUD, which typically schedules it for late January. Nonprofits usually receive early notice, but the recent federal shutdown may delay that timeline. State officials anticipate the count will happen in the final two weeks of January.

The most recent census, held on Jan. 21, identified 2,373 unhoused individuals statewide, a slight decrease from the record high the previous year. More people were found outside than in shelters, prompting the McKee administration to award more than $1.7 million for additional warming centers and emergency beds.

There have been disagreements between the state and the coalition over some past counting methods. The state says one practice used during the pandemic is no longer allowed under HUD guidelines. Rhode Island has since replaced the coalition’s former shelter hotline with new in-person regional access points.

Nonprofit leaders maintain that the coalition’s processes are reviewed annually and must meet federal standards before submission. They note that accurate numbers are essential, as they influence how much HUD funding the state receives—funding that is already subject to new federal restrictions under litigation in Rhode Island’s courts.

Despite organizational changes, providers say the integrity of the count relies on the outreach teams who visit shelters and encampments on the designated night.