The latest annual Point in Time Count report reveals a 2.3% decrease in the number of people experiencing homelessness in Kern County, marking the first decline in years. Carlos Baldovinos, Executive Board Chair of the Bakersfield Kern Regional Homeless Collaborative (BKRHC), expressed his joy at the decrease.

"We had a 2.3% decrease. That’s the first time in a long time that we have seen a decrease," said Baldovinos. However, Baldovinos said the work is not over.

He noted that while the counts are a rough estimate, the reduction is attributed to increased efforts in the community. "You’ve added more affordable housing units, you’ve added more permanent support housing, you’ve added more shelter beds," he said.

The report indicates that approximately 2,000 people are experiencing homelessness in the county. Of these, 52% were found to be unhoused, while 48% were in shelters. The majority of the homeless population is located in the Bakersfield metro area, which includes East Bakersfield, Oildale, and Rosedale.

City Councilmember Andrae Gonzales has observed a decrease in homelessness in downtown Bakersfield, but emphasized that the work is ongoing. "This work is not easy when you’re dealing with so many complicated situations; there are reasons why people find themselves homeless," said Gonzales. He highlighted efforts to expand resources, such as adding more beds in shelters and investing in an affordable housing trust fund to build new units. The city plans to construct over 400 units this year to transition people from shelters to permanent housing.

"We have a system now that we got to continue to support to fund, so that we can continue to see a reduction in the number of people who are on our streets year after year," Gonzales said.

Baldovinos stressed the importance of helping everyone, regardless of their background. "It doesn’t matter where you came from. The story’s not there, it’s not over," he said, expressing gratitude for the volunteers who contributed to this year's efforts. "The work is not done. There’s a lot more work to be done," Baldovinos added.