The number of people experiencing homelessness in Central Oregon dropped by nearly 20% in 2026, according to the annual Point-in-Time Count — and Jefferson County, often overlooked in regional housing conversations dominated by Bend, is being specifically credited for the decline.
The 2026 count, conducted in late January, recorded 1,706 people experiencing homelessness across Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson counties, as well as the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. That represents a 19.1% decrease from 2025 — the first significant drop in at least five years.
What Changed
Housing advocates say the decline reflects a combination of expanded state funding, increased shelter capacity, and more intentional coordination among service providers. The Homeless Leadership Coalition, which oversees Central Oregon's continuum of care, said approximately 1,800 people were transitioned into permanent housing during 2025 — more than any previous year on record.
"We housed more people in 2025 than any year before because we had access to resources," said Homeless Leadership Coalition Chair Eliza Wilson.
State-level investment in shelter and housing programs played a significant role, but so did local coordination — and the Madras Shelter and Jefferson County service providers are getting specific recognition for their efforts.
Jefferson County's Approach
A spokesperson for the Homeless Leadership Coalition, identified in Madras Pioneer reporting as Cooper, offered pointed praise for Jefferson County's community-driven strategy, which emphasizes local coordination over top-down programming.
"That community in the last six to eight years has done more to rally itself together and say, 'What can we do about this and how are we going to take care of our neighbors ourselves?' than I've seen in most of rural Oregon," Cooper said. "Jefferson County service providers have been intentional about this, have been coordinated about this and have seen results."
Recent visible signs of progress in Jefferson County include a cleanup of a homeless encampment near the Madras Shelter and the opening of two new transitional homes in the area.
Warm Springs Included in Count
The Point-in-Time Count is unusual in Central Oregon for including the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs reservation in its survey area — a recognition of the Tribes' distinct housing challenges and the collaborative relationship between CTWS social services and regional housing providers.
Work Still Ahead
Housing advocates caution that a single year's improvement should not translate into complacency. The 2026 wildfire season is expected to be severe, drought is straining rural economies, and rising housing costs continue to price out working families across the region. Jefferson County also lacks the shelter infrastructure of Deschutes County, meaning the margin for error when people lose housing remains thin.
Still, advocates say the trend is meaningful — and it shows that rural counties like Jefferson can make measurable progress on homelessness without the scale of resources available in larger urban areas.