L.A. Homeless Count Drops 2.2%; First Decrease in 6 Years

Homelessness has declined in Los Angeles for the first time in six years, according to the results of the latest homeless count, conducted earlier this year.

In a statement June 28, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority said:

Today, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) announced the results of the 2024 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count. Los Angeles County’s Point-in-Time estimate declined by 0.27% to 75,312, while the City of Los Angeles’ Point-in-Time estimate declined by 2.2% to 45,252.

The estimate for unsheltered homelessness in the County of Los Angeles decreased by approximately 5.1% to 52,365 compared with last year, while the shelter count increased by 12.7% to 22,947. The City of Los Angeles saw its unsheltered homelessness estimate decline to 29,275 or 10.4%, while the City’s shelter count increased by 15,977 or 17.7%.

“This year’s Homeless Count results give me hope because they show that our unified approach and coordinated efforts have led to meaningful decreases in unsheltered homelessness,” said Dr. Va Lecia Adams Kellum, Chief Executive Officer of LAHSA. “One year is not enough to say we have turned the corner, but the numbers we are seeing are very encouraging. We must continue to work in collaboration on the life-saving efforts that are contributing to positive results.”

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass took a victory lap, proclaiming that the city’s strategy of renting hotel and motel rooms for the homeless is working:

Los Angeles is focused on solving the homelessness crisis.

Today’s results are proving that long-term solutions and housing-led strategies are shattering the status quo and saving lives. https://t.co/WzIoBiiGpz

— Mayor Karen Bass (@MayorOfLA) June 29, 2024

Homelessness is still a major problem in Los Angeles, though the improvement is a hopeful sign. Bass won election in 2022 after challenger Rick Caruso made homelessness the top issue in the campaign.

Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of the new biography, Rhoda: ‘Comrade Kadalie, You Are Out of Order’. He is also the author of the recent e-book, Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.