Homelessness growing in LA County as more live in cars, tents

Despite some successes, homelessness continued to increase across Los Angeles County this year, with more people sleeping on sidewalks, in washes, tents or their cars, according to a report released Wednesday.

The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority estimates that the county has 46,874 homeless people on any given night, up 5.7 percent from last year. A deeper look into the numbers shows most who live on the streets are more likely to be chronically homeless, African Americans, people suffering with mental illnesses and or substance abusers.

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Housing costs and availability, as well as the economy, were some of the reasons given for the increases, but there were also successes among homeless veterans and families, said Peter Ly, executive director for LAHSA. A concerted effort to house homeless veterans appears to be working, he added.

“LA’s success in significantly reducing veteran and family homelessness reinforces the importance of resources and collaborative system to deliver them,” Ly said. “We have a good deal more work to do, but the current collaboration between the city, the county, our non-profit partners and the federal govement, the new commitments of resources, put Los Angeles in the best position to leverage our new systems and house our neighbors experiencing homelessness.”

The new figures come amid pressure on city and county officials to find solutions to alleviate homelessness in Los Angeles, where encampments stretch across the county from Santa Clarita to Downtown L.A., Bellflower to the South Bay.

Last month, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti unveiled a plan to develop or sell city-owned property to raise money for homeless housing. His goal is to have $100 million to fight homelessness aually.

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Los Angeles County officials also have pledged more than $100 million to fund supportive apartment units, emergency shelters, and new programs such as rapid rehousing. In a statement Wednesday, Garcetti acknowledged successes, such as the city’s efforts to house more than 10,000 people in 2015 alone, including 2,668 veterans and 2,846 chronically homeless people, which he called more than any other city in the country. But he also said more coordinated effort is needed.

“Despite our progress, Los Angeles is facing a historic housing shortage, a staggering mental health crisis, and veterans are becoming homeless every day,” Garcetti said. “We need all hands on deck to tackle this crisis. Together with LAHSA, the county, and our nonprofit partners, we will not rest until every Angeleno has a safe place to sleep at night.”

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The report also found:

• Veteran homelessness fell 30 percent across the county.

• The number of homeless families fell by 18 percent this year compared to last year.

• People living in vehicles, tents and encampments increased by 20 percent in Los Angeles County compared to 2015.

• Since 2013, there has been a 55 percent increase in the number of homeless women.

• There was a 12 percent increase in people ages 18 to 24 and in people age 25 to 54 who were homeless in 2016.

• 30 percent of those who are homeless have been diagnosed with mental illness.

Within the city of Los Angeles, homelessness grew to 11 percent. Suburbs also saw their homeless ranks swell. The San Feando Valley’s homeless population grew to 7,335, up 35 percent from last year. In the South Bay, homelessness rose to 5,913 people, up 10 percent.

Meanwhile, the San Gabriel Valley saw their numbers fall, from 3,725 last year to 3,142 this year, an almost 16 percent reduction.

LAHSA has been conducting the homeless count every two years since 2005 as required by HUD for cities that want to participate in assistance programs. But with extra funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Veterans Administration this year, LAHSA held the count in January with 7,500 volunteers.

“With the proposed City and County funding around homelessness and tremendous new federal resources awarded to Los Angeles by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, we are poised to combat homelessness on a scale we have never experienced,” said Mike Neely, LAHSA Commission Chair.