The 2026 Maine Point-in-Time report was prepared by the Institute for Community Alliances (ICA) in partnership with the Maine Continuum of Care and represents the collaborative efforts of MaineHousing, Hub Coordinators, service providers, volunteers, community partners, and individuals with lived experience across the state.
The Point-in-Time (PIT) Count conducted on January 26, 2026 is a federally required census conducted during the last ten days of January each year to estimate the number of people experiencing homelessness on a single night. Every Continuum of Care across the country completes this effort using a combination of Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) data, surveys from emergency shelters and housing providers, and outreach to people experiencing unsheltered homelessness. In Maine, the count is coordinated across the state’s nine Homeless Service Hubs by Hub Coordinators, volunteers, nonprofit organizations, and community partners, with support from MaineHousing, the Maine Continuum of Care, and ICA.
The 2026 PIT Count identified 286 fewer people experiencing homelessness compared to the 2025 count, continuing a three-year trend of declining PIT numbers and a gradual return to pre-pandemic levels. A significant contributor to this decrease was the continued phase-out of emergency housing motel programs that expanded sheltered capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, the number of individuals counted in sheltered settings declined by 17 percent.
The data also showed an increase in the number of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness. Several factors may have contributed to this trend, including longer stays in emergency shelters due to the limited availability of permanent housing opportunities, the reduction in transitional housing capacity following the closure of the Saco Hotel Transitional Housing Project, and continued improvements in Maine’s coordinated outreach efforts that strengthened the identification and counting of individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness.
While the Point-in-Time Count is one of the nation’s most widely recognized measures of homelessness, it is important to remember that it represents only a single-night snapshot. It should not be viewed as the sole measure of homelessness in Maine. The Maine Continuum of Care also relies on year-round HMIS data and HUD System Performance Measures to understand the full scope of homelessness and evaluate system performance. For example, during Federal Fiscal Year 2025, 4,179 individuals were served in HMIS-participating emergency shelters, transitional housing, and Safe Haven programs. This figure does not include individuals served by providers that do not participate in HMIS, such as victim service providers, nor does it include people experiencing unsheltered homelessness.
The Point-in-Time Count remains an essential tool for understanding trends, informing policy and planning decisions, identifying service needs, and meeting federal reporting requirements. Combined with ongoing HMIS data and other system performance measures, it provides valuable insight into how homelessness is changing across Maine and helps guide efforts to ensure that every Mainer has access to safe, stable, and permanent housing.
The Maine Continuum of Care extends its sincere appreciation to the Institute for Community Alliances (ICA), MaineHousing, Hub Coordinators, emergency shelter and housing providers, volunteers, community partners, and individuals with lived experience whose dedication and collaboration made this year’s statewide count possible. Their commitment is essential to producing reliable data that informs policy, funding decisions, and our collective efforts to prevent and end homelessness in Maine.