By Jordan Meadows
Staff Writer
A recent report in Wake County showed that more than 1,000 people were experiencing homelessness in early 2026.
Newly released 2026 Point-in-Time Count data identified 1,050 people experiencing homelessness across Wake County, including 307 individuals living unsheltered and 743 staying in shelters or transitional housing; slightly lower than the 1,127 counted in 2025. The annual count, required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, was conducted Jan. 22 during a White Flag weather alert, when dangerously cold temperatures prompted expanded emergency shelter efforts.
“Behind every number is a person, a story, and often a crisis that pushes someone into homelessness,” said Commissioner Cheryl Stallings. “Living outside or in unstable conditions is not safe or sustainable for anyone. The Point-in-Time Count helps us better understand the needs in our community and work towards solutions.”
In early June, a long-standing encampment near Exit 290 off Interstate 40 was cleared by the N.C. Department of Transportation after eviction notices were posted. Residents, including an Army veteran who had lived at the site for more than a decade, were forced to relocate.
Part of Wake County’s response is the Cornerstone Center in Raleigh, which operates a specialized bridge housing program designed to stabilize chronically homeless individuals with significant physical and mental health needs. The facility includes 20 furnished units and serves as the “front door” to permanent supportive housing, offering short-term stays alongside intensive services such as case management, vocational counseling, peer support, and assistance in securing long-term housing vouchers.
During a Wake County Affordable Housing Committee meeting on Monday morning, officials highlighted Cornerstone’s role within a broader system of care and outlined a new pilot program focused on individuals with recent involvement in the criminal justice system.
“HUD is showing that they're really leaning into the transitional housing model, which Cornerstone's been doing well for decades,” Erin Flynn, Wake County Continuum of Care (CoC).
The program specifically targets individuals who meet the definition of chronic homelessness — those who have been homeless for at least a year or repeatedly over several years — while also living with disabling health or behavioral conditions.
Flynn said the county is now shifting additional attention toward people reentering the community after incarceration, a group she described as often overlooked.
“We want to look for a population that's kind of slipping through the cracks a little bit with folks who have been justice involved,” Flynn said. “We’re going to prioritize to match Wake County’s strategic goal of the reentry population.”
Under the pilot, participants must meet traditional homelessness criteria while also having recent involvement in the criminal legal system. She defined that group as individuals “currently or have been involved in the last 24 months engaged with the criminal legal system,” adding that “this is a population that we believe that their incarceration or justice involvement has maybe been hindering that” path to stable housing.
The initiative also introduces a stronger emphasis on employment as a pathway to long-term stability. Participants receive structured programming that can reach up to 40 hours per week, combining job readiness training with supportive services aimed at helping individuals rebuild routines and transition into the workforce.
The county has partnered with organizations, including Capital Area Workforce Development, Wake Tech, Goodwill and StepUp Ministries to expand opportunities.
Vice Chair Safiyah Jackson praised the program’s focus on second chances and economic mobility:
“It’s wonderful when we can expand our opportunities for second chances, and we know how critical housing is to that,” Jackson said.
Jackson also encouraged deeper collaboration with local nonprofits, asking whether officials had explored partnerships with organizations like Passage Home that offer self-sufficiency programs.
Commissioner Susan Evans echoed support for the initiative: “One of the most important [pieces] that we sometimes don’t talk about is improving upward mobility,” Evans said. “Giving them opportunities is going to be a huge part of them being able to be stable once we get them into housing.”
Beyond employment, the program is structured around what Flynn described as “social drivers of health,” a broader framework that includes access to education, healthcare, community support, and economic stability.
Officials reported early progress from the pilot, which began in March and currently serves eight participants. Cornerstone has already seen individuals transition successfully into permanent housing, with some residents stabilizing medically, reconnecting with family or securing employment in a matter of weeks.
