Homeless Count drops last two years
UNSHELTERED homelessness is now the most common.
Homelessness has dropped two years in a row, according to the results of the 2025 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count released last month.
The latest count “gives us something we haven’t had enough of lately: a sign of progress,” Marilyn Wells, Hancock Park, and Allison Schallert of Stories From the Frontline, said in a statement.
The annual Point-in-Time released by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) found that homelessness fell 4% across Los Angeles County, to 72,308 individuals, and declined in the city of Los Angeles by 3.4%, to 43,699 people.
Unsheltered homelessness decreased countywide by 9.5% and in the city it dropped by 7.9%. Over the last two years, unsheltered homelessness dropped in the county and the city by 14% and 17.5%, respectively.
“These results aren’t just data points—they represent thousands of human beings who are now inside, and neighborhoods that are beiginning to heal,” said Mayor Karen Bass.
“We should be proud,” added Va Lecia Adams Kellum, LAHSA CEO, at the announcement July 14 on Zoom. “We can also see clearly that our work isn’t done. It’s crucial we keep moving forward, together, to sustain our reductions in unsheltered homelessness.”
City and LAHSA officials attributed the drop to a coordinated effort with its partners at the city and county and programs such as Inside Safe and Pathway Home.
“For too long, the status quo had been to leave people on the street until permanent housing was completed. The mayor is focusing on bringing people inside quickly while expediting the building of permanent housing,” Wells and Schallert said.
“It is now a trend,” said Kellum, who led the point in time effort, which was done by volunteers over four days in February.
Good news disputed
But results from a RAND Corporation study found, “…that ‘rough sleeping’ (living literally unsheltered, without a tent, makeshift shelter, or vehicle) showed little change. This form of unsheltered homelessness is now the most common type in the study areas, representing about 40 percent of the total unsheltered population.”
Unsheltered homeless people were down 15 percent in the three areas but the decline was offset by a 9% increase in Skid Row in the RAND study.
Since 2021, RAND researchers have surveyed unsheltered homelessness in Hollywood, Skid Row and Venice.
Category: News
