Victorville's Homeless Population Data

Growing Homeless Population

Homelessness is a growing challenge throughout the country.  In California, more than 171,000 people experience homelessness daily. California is home to 12% of the nation’s population, 30% of the nation’s homeless population, and half the nation’s unsheltered population. According to the 2023 Point-in-Time Homeless Counts, the City of Victorville remains the second-highest concentration of homeless persons in the County of San Bernardino.

Who Experiences Homelessness

According to the National Alliances to End Homelessness, homelessness among single adults is typically a result of the lack of affordable and available housing. Furthermore, the cost of housing and inadequate incomes, even a temporary financial or life crisis such as losing a job, the end of a relationship, death of a partner, or health emergency can result in a loss of housing and homelessness.  Individuals with certain vulnerabilities, those with a history of trauma, and/or those from racially minoritized groups, are at higher risk of experiencing homelessness.

According to the National Alliances to End Homelessness, families experiencing homelessness are similar to other families that also have very low income, but who have a home to live in. Both may struggle with incomes that are far less than they need to pay for housing. In fact, it is often some jolt to this precarious situation such as a lost job or work hours, conflict with family members they are staying with, an unanticipated bill or violence within the home that leads families to seek help from homeless service programs. 

People who experience homelessness have higher rates of mental health conditions and substance use than the general population. For many, these problems predated their first episode of homelessness.

What is Chronic Homelessness

Chronic homelessness is used to describe people who have experienced homelessness for at least a year or on at least four separate occasions in the last three years while struggling with a disabling condition such as a serious mental illness, substance use disorder, or developmental disability, or physical disability.  People experiencing chronic homelessness typically have complex and long-term health conditions, such as mental illness, substance use disorders, physical disabilities, or other medical conditions. Once they become homeless, regardless of what immediately caused them to lose their housing, it is difficult for them to get back into housing and they can face long or repeated episodes of homelessness.

Changing Political Climate 

The current political landscape is pushing cities to solve their own homeless problems without adequate funding and resources.  Though 84% of California cities have launched programs to address homelessness (as of April 2023), most are struggling to fund them, according to a survey of 189 cities released by the League of California Cities.

Additionally, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeal (Martin v. Boise) ruled that cities cannot "criminalize" conduct that is unavoidable consequences of being homeless.  Ultimately, cities cannot enforce anti-camping ordinances or Public Nuisance Laws without showing that they have adequate, low-barrier shelter beds available to house their individuals experiencing homelessness.

Important Facts

• The population of Victorville has increased more than 90% since 2000.  This means that more than 60,000 new residents moved to Victorville in a 20-year period.

• As of May 2023, San Bernardino County's 2022 Affordable Housing Needs Report indicates renters in the County need to earn $36.36 per hour, 2.3 times the state minimum wages, to afford the average monthly asking rent of $1,891.

• As of May 2023, 54,954 low-income renter households in San Bernardino County do not have access to an affordable home.

• As of May 2023, State and federal funding for housing production and preservation in San Bernardino County is $196 million, a 115% increase from the year prior.

• In 2023, San Bernardino County saw a 26% increase in homelessness (4,195).

• In 2023, more than three-fourths (76.9%) or 3,226 of the 4,195 homeless adults and children in the County were counted within seven cities (Barstow, Colton, Fontana, Ontario, Redlands, San Bernardino, and Victorville).

• In 2023, more than one-third (39.9%) of unsheltered adults and children counted as homeless became homeless for the first time during the 12 months prior to the homeless count. 

• In 2023, 44.1% of adults experiencing homelessness were chronically homeless, meaning they have been homeless for a year or more and have a disabling condition such as mental illness, a chronic health condition or a physical disability.

• In 2023, Victorville remains the city with the second highest homeless population (607), second only to the City of San Bernardino (1,502). 

• Specific to Victorville’s homeless population, 19% were incarcerated during the last 12 months, 19.8% have a mental health disorder, 10.4% have a physical disability, and 33.5% have a substance use disorder.