The LAHSA annual homeless count detects a small decline in L.A. homelessness

The most recent homeless count conducted by the Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority (LAHSA)  showed a slight drop in the amount of homeless people throughout Los Angeles County, including the City of Los Angeles.

For the first time in six years there were fewer people living in the streets, according to the latest count from LAHSA, which was released last week. 

According to LAHSA, there were a total of 75,312 homeless people across the county, equaling a  0.3% decrease compared with the previous year. 

A similar decrease was also accounted for in the city of L.A., where the total number of homeless people was 45,252, a reduction of 2.2%. 

Although the decrease is relatively small, city and county leaders and agencies consider the drop a major milestone in the state of homelessness and housing throughout the county. 

“For so many years, the count has shown increases in homelessness, and we have all felt that in our neighborhoods. But we leaned into change. And we have changed the trajectory of this crisis and have moved L.A. in a new direction,” said Mayor Karen Bass. “There is nothing we cannot do by taking on the status quo, putting politics aside and rolling up our sleeves to work together…This is not the end, it is the beginning – and we will build on this progress, together.”

Bass also took time to thank the L.A City Council, the County Board of Supervisors, LAHSA, the state, federal and community partners and other service provider partners for “locking arms to confront,” the homeless crisis. 

L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn talked about the way shelters and housing have helped the number of homelessness decrease. “We have focused on shelters and we are doing a better job convincing people to come inside,” she said in a statement. “The next step is building more permanent supportive housing and investing in long-term solutions to this crisis.”

The point-in-time count was conducted in January, when thousands of volunteers met in different locations around the county and tallied the number of people living in the streets or in their cars. The count is a yearly requirement from the United States Housing and Urban Development Department, which reviews and validates the data. 

Despite the improvements in the overall numbers of the homeless population in the county, the Latino homeless population is still disproportionately large. According to LAHSA’s report, Latinos made up the largest percentage of homeless individuals (43%). They were followed by Black people (31%) and whites (29%). 

The count also takes into consideration people that are homeless but are sheltered and those who are unsheltered and homeless. The count showed there was a 5.1% decrease in unsheltered, or street, homelessness compared with last year. But the numbers are different for people that are sheltered and living in cars and other places. This year, there was a 12.7% increase in sheltered homelessness.

Additional statistics also came out of the annual count. When it comes to family homelessness there was also a slight increase (2.2%), but many of those families are now in temporary housing. Other groups who also showed a decrease in homelessness population were youth and veterans. According to the report, the number of transition-age youth or individuals coming out of the foster system between the ages of 16 and 24 decreased by 16.2% and veteran homelessness decreased by 22.9%.

When it comes to mental health, the report also stated the growing need for services in that field. LAHSA reported that approximately 22% of unhoused individuals reported experiencing serious mental illness. In addition 24% of unhoused individuals report experiencing substance use disorder. 

“Our coordinated efforts are moving the needle and we have to stick together in addition to moving people into interim housing. The rehousing system also gained significant momentum this year,” Paul Rubenstein, LAHSA deputy chief of external relations, said. “At this rate, if we could stop anyone else from becoming homeless Friday, we could end homelessness in just a few years.”