Mendocino County’s latest point-in-time homelessness count, required by the department of Housing and Urban Development for federal funding, showed a decrease in unsheltered individuals from 552 to 440. However, the number of chronically homeless—those without long-term housing due to a disabling health condition—increased sharply from 154 to 267. The report attributes chronic homelessness to poor health, including mental, behavioral, and physical issues, which are often both a cause and consequence.