Point-in-Time Count & Data.
Every January, Cleveland County counts every person experiencing homelessness on a single night. HUD requires it. We publish it. This is our baseline — and our accountability.
Who was counted on the night of the count.
Good news: First-time entries into homelessness dropped 42% — from 798 in 2023 to 460 in 2024. Prevention efforts are showing real results.
The challenge ahead: Average length of time homeless rose to 127 days — the highest in five years. Rapid Re-Housing beds fell from 73 in 2022 to just 5 in 2024 as COVID-era funding expired. This is the gap Homeward Bound NORMAN is designed to close.
213 adults · 27 children
129 Emergency Shelter + 20 Transitional
Living outside — parks, vehicles, encampments
Homeless 12+ months with a disabling condition
192 adult-only · 14 families with children
Counted in families experiencing homelessness
Who is most vulnerable.
| Subpopulation | Sheltered | Unsheltered | Total | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severely Mentally Ill | 38 | 53 | 91 | 38% of total count |
| Chronic Substance Abuse | 10 | 52 | 62 | 84% are unsheltered |
| Chronically Homeless | 63 | 46 | 109 | PSH priority population |
| Victims of Domestic Violence | 8 | 13 | 21 | 62% are unsheltered |
| Veterans | 10 | 3 | 13 | HUD-VASH eligible |
| Unaccompanied Youth (18–24) | 10 | 1 | 11 | Up 120% from 2023 |
| HIV/AIDS | 2 | 1 | 3 | Requires specialized PSH |
How Cleveland County has changed.
| Year | Total | Sheltered | Unsheltered | Veterans | Youth | Chronically Homeless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 266 | 120 | 146 | 20 | 10 | 215 |
| 2021* | 106 | 106 | — | 0 | 2 | 38 |
| 2022 | 197 | 120 | 77 | 4 | 4 | 55 |
| 2023 | 213 | 139 | 74 | 19 | 5 | 19 |
| 2024 | 240 | 149 | 91 | 13 | 11 | 109 |
*2021 unsheltered count not conducted due to COVID-19. Source: HUD 2024 CoC Performance Profile OK-504.
How our system is performing.
HUD tracks six system performance measures for every CoC. These determine funding competitiveness.
| Measure | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. Length of Time Homeless (days) | 72 | 81 | 127 | ↑ Needs improvement |
| Return to Homelessness (6 months) | 4.9% | 10.8% | 7.4% | ↓ Improving |
| First-Time Entries into Homelessness | 606 | 798 | 460 | ↓ Strong improvement |
| Exit to Permanent Housing (ES/TH/RRH) | 29.1% | 13.0% | 16.3% | ↑ Recovering |
| PSH / OPH Retention or Exit to PH | 91.4% | 80.6% | 82.8% | ↑ Improving |