City HallSaturday, November 7
Birmingham sets a goal to cut chronic homelessness by 40% in two years
The Daily Birmingham team
If you've wondered what the city is doing about homelessness, Friday's State of Homelessness Summit at Boutwell Auditorium laid it out. Birmingham set a goal to cut chronic homelessness by 40% over two years and is investing $3 million in programs and services. Alannah Melton, the city's director of Unhoused Strategies, said about 500 people fit that category, so the goal means housing about 200.
Birmingham's homelessness push by the numbers
- $3 million
- city investment in programs and services
- 40%
- goal for cutting chronic homelessness in two years
- 777
- Birmingham City Schools students listed as homeless
- Beds: goal of adding 500 over two years
- Home for All: room for 100 people now
- Jimmy Hale: 100 more emergency beds expected by this time next year
- Micro-shelters: all 15 at Home for All are full
Leaders also unveiled "Birmingham Goes Home", which officials said will focus on how the city handles encampments and moves people into housing. Details were limited. One number in the city's roadmap is going the wrong way: 777 Birmingham City Schools students are listed as homeless, up from 649 last year.
Most homeless counts fell in a year, but students rose
People listed as homeless in the city's roadmap
Source: AL.com
View as table
| 2025 | 2026 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic | 506 | 220 | −57% |
| Veterans | 136 | 74 | −46% |
| Youths 18-24 | 136 | 67 | −51% |
| Families | 92 | 34 | −63% |
| Students | 649 | 777 | +20% |
“Homelessness is not just a City Hall issue. It's not just a City Hall problem. And City Hall is not responsible for the solutions in isolation. This is a community problem.”