Los Angeles Almanac Photo.
The annual homeless count in Los Angeles County for 2021 was cancelled, due to the pandemic.
On June 12, 2020, Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority issued its first release of 2020 results from the annual homeless count taken in January. The count revealed a 12.7 percent increase in homelessness for Los Angeles County from 2019 to 2020. The city of Los Angeles saw a 14.2 percent increase.
According to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, an estimated 82,955 people became homeless during 2019. Over the same time, 22,769 people were placed into housing, through the county’s homeless services system, and an estimated 52,686 people “self-resolved” out of homelessness. This left more than 66,000 people homeless at the beginning of 2020. On average, 227 people become homeless every day and 207 are able to exit from homelessness. Among the alarming increases among the homeless, by 2020, was the 20 percent increase in homeless persons over age 62. Homeless youth (under the age of 18 through age 24) in 2020 were more than 7,400 or 12% of the county's homeless population.
Although homeless people are found throughout the county, the largest concentrations in 2020 were in the Metro (Central) Los Angeles region (26%), South Los Angeles region (20%) and San Fernando Valley region (14%). Most homeless people are from the Los Angeles area and stay in or near the communities from which they came. About 6% are veterans. African Americans make up 34% of Los Angeles County's homeless population – a highly disproportionate number as compared to the percentage of the population of African Americans in Los Angeles County overall (about 8 percent).
Also see: Population in Poverty in Los Angeles County.
Since 2005, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, an agency of the City of Los Angeles, has conducted numerical and demographic counts of homelessness, not only within the city of Los Angeles, but throughout Los Angeles County. Over the course of three days in January, this count is conducted with the help of thousands of volunteers branching out throughout Los Angeles County.
Also see Homeless Counts in Los Angeles County by City
Numbers for all Los Angeles County communities are included.
| Year | City of Los Angeles | All Los Angeles County | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Unsheltered | Sheltered | Total | Unsheltered | Sheltered | |
| 2020 | 41,290 | 28,852 | 12,438 | 66,436 | 48,041 | 18,395 |
| 2019 | 36,300 | 27,221 | 8,944 | 58,936 | 42,471 | 13,786 |
| 2018 | 31,285 | 22,887 | 8,398 | 52,765 | 39,396 | 13,369 |
| 2017 | 34,189 | 25,237 | 8,952 | 57,794 | 42,828 | 14,966 |
| 2015 | 25,686 | 17,687 | 7,999 | 44,359 | 31,018 | 13,341 |
| 2013 | 22,993 | 14,968 | 8,025 | 39,463 | 25,136 | 14,327 |
| 2011 | - | - | - | 39,135 | 20,517 | 19,176 |
| 2009 | - | - | - | 38,602 | 21,073 | 16,745 |
| 2007 | - | - | - | 52,956 | 39,168 | 13,788 |
| 2005 | - | - | - | 65,287 | 53,429 | 11,858 |
Numbers include those for Glendale (SPA 2), Long Beach (SPA 8) and Pasadena (SPA 3)
| Year | Antelope Valley (SPA 1) |
San Fernando Valley (SPA 2) |
San Gabriel Valley (SPA 3) |
Metro LA (SPA 4) |
West LA (SPA 5) |
South LA (SPA 6) |
East LA County (SPA 7) |
South Bay/ Harbor (SPA 8) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 4,755 | 9,277 | 5,082 | 17,121 | 6,009 | 13,012 | 4,586 | 6,594 |
| 2019 | 3,293 | 7,730 | 4,489 | 16,436 | 5,262 | 9,543 | 5,095 | 4,409 |
| 2018 | 3,203 | 7,738 | 4,282 | 14,218 | 4,401 | 8,343 | 4,569 | 6,011 |
| 2017 | 4,559 | 7,459 | 3,552 | 15,393 | 5,511 | 9,243 | 5,189 | 4,282 |
| 2015 | 2,818 | 5,216 | 3,093 | 11,681 | 4,276 | 7,513 | 3,571 | 3,006 |
| 2013 | 2,113 | 4,836 | 2,794 | 10,472 | 3,667 | 7,045 | 2,429 | 2,168 |
| 2011 | 1,412 | 3,720 | 2,499 | 10,086 | 3,512 | 7,541 | 3,208 | 2,644 |
| 2009 | 1,609 | 3,312 | 2,780 | 10,339 | 3,738 | 5,504 | 2,993 | 2,401 |
| 2007 | 1,238 | 4,464 | 6,648 | 16,109 | 4,580 | 7,786 | 3,806 | 3,806 |
| 2005 | 2,404 | 8,051 | 7,145 | 14,041 | 4,773 | 11,919- | 4,982 | 5,918 |
Map of Los Angeles County Service Planning Areas
| Race/Ethnic Group | City of Los Angeles | All of Los Angeles County* | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 430 (1.0%) |
530 (1.5%) |
324 (1.0%) |
686 (1.1%) |
975 (1.7%) |
565 (1.1%) |
| Asian | 502 (1.2%) |
299 (0.8%) |
352 (1.1%) |
774 (1.2%) |
455 (0.8%) |
545 (1.1%) |
| Black/African American | 15,622 (37.8%) |
13,629 (37.7%) |
12,235 (39.1%) |
21,509 (33.8%) |
18,719 (33.3%) |
17,825 (35.7%) |
| Hispanic/Latino | 13,424 (32.5%) |
12,403 (34.3%) |
10,813 (34.6%) |
23,005 (36.1%) |
20,523 (36.5%) |
17,540 (35.1%) |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 76 (0.2%) |
100 (0.3%) |
77 (0.2%) |
205 (0.3%) |
314 (0.6%) |
221 (0.4%) |
| White | 10,293 (24.9%) |
8,223 (22.7%) |
6,978 (22.3%) |
16,208 (25.4%) |
13,871 (24.7%) |
12,538 (25.1%) |
| Multi-Racial/Other | 943 (2.3%) |
981 (2.7%) |
506 (1.6%) |
1,319 (2.1%) |
1,400 (2.5%) |
721 (1.4%) |
* Accumulated numbers for all Service Planning Areas. These do not include those for Glendale, Long Beach and Pasadena.
| Age Group/Percentage | City of Los Angeles | All of Los Angeles County* | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
| Under 18 | 4,923 (11.9%) |
3,305 (9.1%) |
3,022 (9.7%) |
7,491 (11.8%) |
5,061 (9.0%) |
4,731 (9.5%) |
| 18 - 24 | 2,910 (7.0%) |
2,272 (6.3%) |
2,052 (6.6%) |
4,181 (6.6%) |
3,527 (6.3%) |
2,955 (5.9%) |
| 25 - 54 | 23,479 (56.9%) |
21,788 (60.1%) |
18,446 (59.0%) |
37,138 (58.3%) |
24,063 (42.8%) |
29,571 (59.2%) |
| 55 - 61 | 5,898 (14.3%) |
5,654 (15.6%) |
4,755 (15.2%) |
8,606 (13.5%) |
8,375 (14.9%) |
7,871 (15.8%) |
| 62 and Over | 4,080 (9.9%) |
3,146 (8.7%) |
3,010 (9.6%) |
6,290 (9.9%) |
5,231 (9.3%) |
4,827 (9.7%) |
* Accumulated numbers for all Service Planning Areas. These do not include those for Glendale, Long Beach and Pasadena.
| Characteristic/Percentage | City of Los Angeles | All of Los Angeles County* | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
| Veterans | 2,120 (5.1%) |
2,197 (6.1%) |
2,048 (6.5%) |
3,681 (5.8%) |
3,879 (6.9%) |
3,886 (7.4%) |
| Chronically Homeless Individuals | 14,896 (36.1%) |
10,084 (27.9%) |
8,360 (26.7%) |
23,075 (36.2%) |
15,855 (28.2%) |
13,559 (25.7%) |
| Chronically Homeless Family Members | 867 (2.1%) |
632 (1.7%) |
278 (0.9%) |
1,407 (2.2%) |
674 (1.2%) |
516 (1.0%) |
| Substance Use Disorder† | 10,357 (25.1%) |
4,888 (2%) |
4,738 (15.1%) |
15,203 (27.0%) |
7,829 (13.9%) |
7,117 (13.5%) |
| Persons with HIV/AIDS† | 904 (2.2%) |
1,221 (3.4%) |
588 (1.9%) |
1,165 (2.1%) |
1,309 (2.3%) |
740 (1.4%) |
| Serious Mental Illness† | 9,123 (22.1%) |
12,869 (35.6%) |
7,843 (25.1%) |
14,125 (25.1%) |
13,675 (24.3%) |
12,748 (24.2%) |
| Physical Disability† | 6,955 (16.8%) |
6,095 (16.9%) |
4,391 (14.0%) |
10,833 (19.3%) |
9,232 (16.4%) |
6,756 (12.8%) |
| Developmental Disability† | 4,064 (9.8%) |
3,089 (8.5%) |
1,764 (5.6%) |
5,292 (9.4%) |
4,370 (7.8%) |
2,530 (4.8%) |
| Domestic Violence Experience† | 11,622 (28.1%) |
12,860 (35.6%) |
9,088 (29.0%) |
18,345 (32.6%) |
20,265 (36.0%) |
13,374 (25.3%) |
| Homeless Due to Fleeing Domestic Violence† | 2,741 (6.6%) |
1,870 (5.2%) |
1,913 (6.1%) |
3,884 (6.9%) |
3,940 (7.0%) |
3,076 (5.8%) |
Physical Disability, Developmental Disability, and Domestic Violence Experience. Numbers in these categories do not include those for Glendale, Long Beach and Pasadena.
* Accumulated numbers for all Service Planning Areas. These do not include those for Glendale, Long Beach and Pasadena.
† Percentage is prevalence in homeless population age 18 and over.
The 2020 homeless count by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority found, county-wide, 66 unaccompanied homeless minors (under age 18) (66 in 2019; 63 in 2018) of which 44 were unsheltered (45 in 2019; 28 in 2018). Among homeless transitional age youth (age 18-24), 3,029 were unsheltered (2,134 in 2019; 1,577 in 2018) and 1,005 sheltered (1,511 in 2019; 1,521 in 2018).
| Youth Age Group | City of Los Angeles | All of Los Angeles County* | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
| Transitional Age Youth (18-24): Total | 2,083 | 1,833 | 1,573 | 3,029 | 2,818 | 2,274 |
| Transitional Age Youth (18-24): Sheltered | 613 | 569 | 576 | 1,005 | 931 | 864 |
| Transitional Age Youth (18-24): Unsheltered | 1,470 | 1,237 | 997 | 2,075 | 1,887 | 1,410 |
| Unaccompanied Minors (Under 18): Total | 17 | 54 | 58 | 69 | 66 | 63 |
| Unaccompanied Minors (Under 18): Sheltered | 13 | 21 | 31 | 25 | 21 | 35 |
| Unaccompanied Minors (Under 18): Unsheltered | 4 | 33 | 27 | 44 | 45 | 28 |
* Numbers do not include those for Glendale, Long Beach and Pasadena.
| Service Planning Area | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motor Vehicles | People | Motor Vehicles | People | Motor Vehicles | People | |
| Antelope Valley (SPA 1) |
950 | 1,917 | 731 | 1,047 | 706 | 1,271 |
| San Fernando Valley (SPA 2)† |
1,695 | 3,171 | 2,037 | 3,287 | 1,895 | 3,292 |
| San Gabriel Valley (SPA 3)† |
675 | 1,241 | 523 | 964 | 563 | 959 |
| Metro LA (SPA 4) |
1,950 | 3,063 | 1,579 | 2,712 | 1,449 | 2,474 |
| West LA (SPA 5) |
1,055 | 1,714 | 987 | 1,555 | 790 | 1,341 |
| South LA (SPA 6) |
2,606 | 4,108 | 2,049 | 3,330 | 1,767 | 3,057 |
| East LA County (SPA 7) |
1,063 | 1,844 | 998 | 1,568 | 894 | 1,539 |
| South Bay/ Harbor (SPA 8)† |
1,130 | 1,846 | 1,077 | 2,062 | 1,053 | 1,816 |
| Total* | 11,124 | 18,904 | 9,981 | 16,525 | 9,117 | 15,748 |
* Numbers do not include those for Glendale (SPA 2), Long Beach (SPA 8) and Pasadena (SPA 3).
** Motor vehicles include cars, vans, motor homes and RVs.
Source: Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority
Also see: Shelter Partnership, Inc. Established in 1985, the organization works throughout Los Angeles County to help bring expertise to develop housing and resources for homeless people.
TAX & BOND REVENUES TO FIGHT HOMELESSNESS:
City of Los Angeles Supportive Housing Proposition (Proposition HHH, $1.2-billion bond, passed November 2016)
County of Los Angeles Homeless Initiative (Measure H, 1/4-cent sales tax increase, passed March 2017).
Is it less costly to help the homeless get off the street than to leave them there? Weingart Center, in a 2015 interview with Fast Company, proposed that an "investment" of $10,000 can help a homeless person obtain housing, food, job training and ultimately a job, along with support services to acheive that end. On the other hand, leaving a homeless person on the street costs Los Angeles an average of $35,000 each year in medical and emergency services, mental health care, social services and law enforcement. Jailing a homeless person pushes that cost up by a third.
Countering Myths of Homelessness
We can only hope to end homelessness if we learn the truth about homelessness.
