Current:Home > ContactAnnual count of homeless residents begins in Los Angeles, where tens of thousands live on streets -MoneyBase
Annual count of homeless residents begins in Los Angeles, where tens of thousands live on streets
View
Date:2025-04-13 21:18:22
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles County’s annual count of homeless residents began Tuesday night — a crucial part of the region’s efforts to confront the crisis of tens of thousands of people living on the streets.
Up to 6,000 volunteers with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority fanned out for the effort’s main component, the unsheltered street tally.
The so-called “point-in-time” count will take place over three days and aims to estimate how many people are unhoused and what services they may require, such as mental health or drug addiction treatment.
LA County’s undertaking is the largest among similar tallies in major cities nationwide. The tally, which also makes use of demographic surveys and shelter counts, is mandated by the federal government for cities to receive certain kinds of funding.
The count this year comes amid increasing public outrage over the perceived failure — despite costly efforts — to reduce the surging population of people living in cars, tents and makeshift street shelters.
The 2023 effort reported more than 75,500 people were homeless on any given night in LA County, a 9% rise from a year earlier. About 46,200 were within the city of Los Angeles, where public frustration has grown as tents have proliferated on sidewalks and in parks and other locations.
Since 2015, homelessness has increased by 70% in the county and 80% in the city.
Karen Bass, the mayor of Los Angeles, joined city and county officials to kick off the count Tuesday night in the North Hollywood neighborhood of LA’s San Fernando Valley.
The count “is an important tool to confront the homelessness crisis,” Bass said in a statement. “Homelessness is an emergency, and it will take all of us working together to confront this emergency.”
On her first day in office in Dec. 2022, Bass declared a state of emergency on homelessness. One year into her term, the mayor, a Democrat, announced that over 21,000 unhoused people were moved into leased hotels or other temporary shelter during 2023, a 28% increase from the prior year. Dozens of drug-plagued street encampments were cleared, and housing projects are in the pipeline, she said last month.
City Hall, the City Council and the LA County Board of Supervisors have said they intend to work together to tackle the crisis. Progress hasn’t always been apparent despite billions spent on programs to curb homelessness.
Homelessness remains hugely visible throughout California with people living in tents and cars and sleeping outdoors 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.
veryGood! (5263)
Related
- Taylor Swift Eras Archive site launches on singer's 35th birthday. What is it?
- Angela Chao Case: Untangling the Mystery Surrounding the Billionaire's Death
- Family member arraigned in fatal shooting of Michigan congressman’s brother
- Bus hijacked in downtown Los Angeles collides with several vehicles and crashes into a hotel
- Civic engagement nonprofits say democracy needs support in between big elections. Do funders agree?
- In Deep Red Utah, Climate Concerns Are Now Motivating Candidates
- Appeals court orders judge to probe claims of juror bias in Boston Marathon bomber’s case
- Tennessee becomes first state to pass a law protecting musicians against AI
- House passes bill to add 66 new federal judgeships, but prospects murky after Biden veto threat
- Dollar Tree is closing 1,000 stores, including 600 Family Dollar locations in 2024. Here's where.
Ranking
- Person accused of accosting Rep. Nancy Mace at Capitol pleads not guilty to assault charge
- No charges will be filed in nonbinary teen Nex Benedict's death, Oklahoma district attorney says
- Oakland extends Kentucky's NCAA Tournament woes with massive March Madness upset
- Louisiana debates civil liability over COVID-19 vaccine mandates, or the lack thereof
- 2 killed, 3 injured in shooting at makeshift club in Houston
- The trial of an Arizona border rancher charged with killing a migrant is set to open
- Is black seed oil a secret health booster? Here's what the research says
- The Eras Tour cast: Meet Taylor Swift's dancers, singers and band members
Recommendation
'Survivor' 47 finale, part one recap: 2 players were sent home. Who's left in the game?
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Deep Red
Huge Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots can be deceiving: How to gamble responsibly
Tennessee just became the first state to protect musicians and other artists against AI
The city of Chicago is ordered to pay nearly $80M for a police chase that killed a 10
Antitrust lawsuits accuse major US sugar companies of conspiring to fix prices
Lack of buses keeps Los Angeles jail inmates from court appearances and contributes to overcrowding
These Chic Bathroom Organizers From Amazon Look Incredibly Luxurious But Are Super Affordable