LOS ANGELES — On Tuesday night, the annual count of homeless residents in Los Angeles County began, marking a crucial step in the region’s ongoing efforts to address the crisis of tens of thousands of people living on the streets.
Over 6,000 volunteers from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority took to the streets for the main component of the count – the unsheltered street tally. This three-day effort aims to estimate the number of unhoused individuals and identify their specific needs, such as mental health support or drug addiction treatment.
The Los Angeles County count is the largest among similar tallies in major cities across the country. It is mandated by the federal government for cities to receive certain types of funding. The count, which also includes demographic surveys and shelter counts, provides crucial data for policymakers and service providers to better understand and address the issue of homelessness.
This year’s count comes at a time of increasing public outcry over the perceived failure to reduce the growing population of people living in cars, tents, and makeshift shelters on the streets. In 2023, the count reported over 75,500 homeless individuals on any given night in LA County, a 9% increase from the previous year. Of those, approximately 46,200 were in the city of Los Angeles, where the proliferation of tents and encampments on sidewalks and in public spaces has sparked frustration among residents.
To kick off the count, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass joined city and county officials in the North Hollywood neighborhood of the San Fernando Valley. In a statement, Mayor Bass emphasized the importance of this count in addressing the homelessness crisis, stating, “Homelessness is an emergency, and it will take all of us working together to confront this emergency.”
In December 2022, on her first day in office, Mayor Bass declared a state of emergency on homelessness. One year into her term, the mayor, a Democrat, announced that over 21,000 unhoused individuals were moved into leased hotels or other temporary shelters in 2023, a 28% increase from the previous year. Additionally, dozens of drug-plagued street encampments were cleared, and housing projects are in the pipeline, according to the mayor’s statement last month.
The city of Los Angeles, along with the City Council and the LA County Board of Supervisors, have committed to working together to tackle the crisis. However, despite the billions of dollars spent on programs to address homelessness, progress has not always been visible.
Homelessness remains a highly visible issue throughout California, with people living in tents and cars and sleeping on sidewalks and under highway overpasses. The results of the LA County homeless count are expected to be released in late spring or early summer, providing valuable insights and data to guide future efforts in addressing this crisis.
As we continue to grapple with the complex issue of homelessness, it is crucial to remember that it will take all of us working together to find solutions. The annual homeless count is just one step in this ongoing process, and it is heartening to see so many volunteers and officials coming together to confront this emergency. Let us remain hopeful and motivated as we work towards a future where everyone has a safe and stable place to call home.
