Community
Harris County Homelessness Mortality Report
In Harris County, mortality among people experiencing homelessness has increased in
recent years even as unsheltered homelessness has been reduced dramatically across
the same area, urging us to understand the causes of death and identify methods to
reduce mortality. Since 2018, the homeless population in the county has decreased
by 27%, in spite of the rise in deaths. Using data from the Harris County Institute
of Forensic Sciences (HCIFS), we have compiled four annual reports to characterize
the underlying causes and demographic trends in deaths for people experiencing homelessness
in Harris County.