While Los Angeles County has experienced a 9% increase in homelessness, in the city of Los Angeles, the rise has been 10% according to the most recent count from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority ( LAHSA).
The growth of homelessness in Los Angeles continues unstoppable, despite the large sums that governments have injected into it to reduce this social problem.
An estimated 75,518 people are homeless each night in Los Angeles County, while in Los Angeles there are around 46,200.
42.6% of the homeless in the county are Latino with 30,350; 31.7% African American and 19.4% white.
Of the total number of homeless people, 48,260 are men; 22,320 women; 1,112 are transgender. Most are between the ages of 25 and 64, but there are 6,230 homeless minors and 4,725 adults 64 and older.
According to the survey, the increase in the homeless population in Los Angeles County coincides with the increase in the main cities of the United States. In Chicago, homelessness grew 57% against 20% in Portland; and in several cities in southern California there was also an increase of 26% in San Bernardino, 22% in San Diego and Kern and 12% in Riverside.
The annual count indicates that 30% of homeless people experience a substance or drug use disorder, and 25% suffer from a serious mental illness.
According to a recent study on homelessness in California from the University of California San Francisco Housing Initiative and homelessness, unaffordable rents are leading to homelessness in the state, and the most common reason for leaving rental housing is the economy.
“The homeless count results tell us what we already know, that we have a crisis on our streets and it’s getting worse,” said Va Lecia Adams Kellum, LAHSA Director.
“What’s important is that for the first time, the city, county and LAHSA are moving urgently to give homeless people a home.”
Earlier this month, Mayor Karen Bass announced that in the first six months of her administration, more than 14,000 people were taken off the streets of Los Angeles and brought indoors, with more than 4,300 given permanent housing.
“The data collected in January shows that the homelessness crisis continues and we must continue with the perspective that this is an emergency. The challenge before us is enormous, but we will continue to work urgently to bring Angelenos inside, but also to protect them from homelessness. If we don’t do both, we will continue this cycle,” Mayor Bass said in a statement.
Despite unprecedented investments to combat homelessness, the number of homeless people continues to rise, Governor Gavin Newsom allocated a sum of $15.300 million, but at the same time he demanded greater responsibility at the local levels. Between 2018 and 2021, the state of California dedicated $9.6 billion to fight homelessness.
In February, the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors unanimously approved $609.7 million for the Los Angeles County Homelessness Initiative for fiscal year 2023-24. This is the largest investment that has been made to prevent and address homelessness.
“The increase in homelessness this year is part of a national and regional trend, suggesting that the sustained housing crisis and the end of COVID safety net protections have had an effect,” said Wendy Greuel. , chair of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority Commission.
“The good news is that Los Angeles now has the leadership to buck this trend. We need to invest in more housing and expand prevention in all systems.”
Community college political science professor Chamba Sanchez said the people of Los Angeles need to be honest and face reality on the ground.
“Mayor Bass is not capable of solving the City’s gigantic homelessness problem. The definition of foolishness is continuing to do the same thing and expecting different results. Mayor Bass and her team continue to put people in hotels, spending a great deal of money in the process,” the professor said.
He noted that putting people in hotels didn’t work for Garcetti.
“We need to create a new group of citizen leaders with a deep level of thought. Mayor Bass has proven that she is more of the same politicians who let this issue become a crisis.”
He also pointed out that these numbers from the last homelessness census were collected in January, so by now, he estimated that they must be much higher.
“We also have individuals calling themselves advocates who are telling homeless people not to accept housing. These people need to be called to attention. The homeless are paralyzing Los Angeles. People don’t want to come to visit anymore. Businesses are closing because naked homeless people are in the driveway.”