Thousands of volunteers will be part of an effort this week to capture a snapshot of the homeless crisis in Los Angeles.
The three-day Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count is conducted by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. Volunteers will cover about 4,000 square miles of Los Angeles County to tally the number of people facing homelessness.
"LAHSA is proud to lead the Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count, which is an important tool in helping us understand homelessness in the region," LAHSA CEO Dr. Va Lecia Adams Kellum said in a news release. "Together, we’re making significant enhancements to our rehousing system, and this regional snapshot will guide policy decisions that make those changes possible."
Here's what to know about the 2024 count and how it's conducted.
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How is the homeless count conducted?
Volunteers travel in small groups counting the number of unsheltered people, tents, vehicles and make-shift shelters they see in their assigned Census tract. Before they begin, volunteers receive count materials and training for what is considered a point-in-time snapshot of the homeless crisis. Volunteers will again use Esri's Homeless Point in Time App for the count. This year, LAHSA will pilot geofencing technology in the app to alert volunteers when they've moved outside the assigned area.
Where will the homeless count take place?
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Volunteers will cover about 4,000 square miles in Los Angeles County, starting Tuesday in Los Angeles' San Gabriel and San Fernando valleys. On Wednesday, volunteers will cover West Los Angeles, Southeast Los Angeles and South Bay communities. Thursday's count will be in the Antelope Valley north of Los Angeles, Metro Los Angeles and South Los Angeles.
Results are expected to be available within a few months.
What is the purpose of the homeless count?
A biennial point-in-time count of the number of homeless people is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. LAHSA began conducting the count annually in 2016. The data is used to create strategies to address the homeless crisis and allocate funding.
What are past result of the homeless count?
The 2023 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count revealed a 9% year-over-year increase in homelessness in the county, and a 10% rise in the city. The data showed 75,518 people are homeless in the county, and 46,260 in the city of Los Angeles, an increase from the 69,144 in the county, and 41,980 the city from 2022.
Correction: A previous version of this article contained a quote from a LAHSA news release issued in 2023. The article has been updated with a comment from LAHSA CEO Dr. Va Lecia Adams Kellum.
