Kingston, Jamaica, 23 August 2026
A national count found 2,442 people living on the streets of Jamaica last year, spread across all 14 parishes, according to the latest Economic and Social Survey Jamaica published by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ).
Who was counted
The figure comes from a homelessness survey carried out in 2025 by the Board of Supervision, which oversees relief of the poor, working with the Social Development Commission. Of those counted, 1,903 were men and 539 were women. The unofficial tally for 2024 was 2,168, suggesting a rise year on year.
Nearly half, 48.5 per cent, were found in Kingston and St Andrew, underlining how concentrated the problem is in the capital.
Spending, meals and new shelters
The Board of Supervision’s homelessness programme received a budget of $101.6 million, shared among the 13 local authorities that operate shelters or meal services. During the review period, more than 453,000 meals and over 2,700 care packages were handed out.
Several facilities opened or expanded. The Portland Municipal Corporation launched a round-the-clock drop-in centre and night shelter with 28 beds, meals, medical care and bathing facilities. The second phase of the Desmond McKenzie Transitional Centre in downtown Kingston was finished, with room for 50 people, and the St Thomas drop-in centre added a night shelter.
Rehabilitation remains modest
Efforts to move people off the streets produced limited results. Six parishes reported that nine people had been rehabilitated and reintegrated, through activities such as small-plot farming, beekeeping, craft work and skills training. A Kingston drop-in centre found full-time work for 13 of its clients. The PIOJ noted that housing repairs and new homes with basic amenities for the very poor remain the responsibility of the Indigent Housing Programme.
What it means for communities and housing policy
Street homelessness is the sharpest end of Jamaica’s housing shortage, and the rise in the count comes as the country is still dealing with homes lost to Hurricane Melissa. Shelters and meals help, but the small number of people rehabilitated last year shows how hard it is to move from emergency care to a stable home.
For readers, the figures are a reminder that affordable and social housing debates are not only about first-time buyers. A lasting response depends on low-cost rental options, supportive housing and the kind of indigent housing assistance that keeps vulnerable people from losing a roof in the first place.
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