It’s the top concern on Angelenos’ minds, according to survey after survey. And L.A.’s new mayor has declared it her top priority.
Homelessness. It’s been growing for decades in the L.A. area, with tens of thousands of people now without a permanent residence — living on the streets, in shelters, on friends’ couches, in RVs or their cars.
How did we get here? Who’s in charge of what? And where can people get help?
We’ve put together a guide to answer some of the most common questions about the crisis. If there’s anything else you want to know about, feel free to reach out to us here.
How many people are unhoused in L.A.? And in L.A. County?
The best-available info on this comes from the annual “Point-in-Time Count” conducted early each year by thousands of volunteers and overseen by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA). Compiling the results takes months, which means the most recent available numbers are from the February 2022 survey. That found:
- L.A. County: About 69,000 unhoused people experiencing homelessness — a 4% rise from 2020. This includes people in the city of L.A.
- City of L.A.: About 42,000 unhoused people — a 2% increase since 2020.
Note: The survey was not conducted in 2021 due to the pandemic.
The continuing increase in homelessness was attributed mainly to rents rising faster than people’s pay — particularly among people already earning extremely low incomes.
A recent RAND Corporation survey found 90% of unhoused people in high-concentration areas want permanent housing, with many on lengthy waitlists.
“Even if they qualify for housing it can take a really long time to be placed into housing” because demand outpaces supply, said Sarah Hunter, a behavioral scientist who leads the RAND Center on Housing and Homelessness in Los Angeles. These waits can last months and even several years.
A couple of notable changes to L.A. County’s unhoused population in…
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