L.A. homeless population drops despite recession, county study finds [Updated]

Los Angeles County's homeless population has dropped 38% since 2007, according to a survey conducted this year by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.

The count, which was conducted over three days in January, pegs the region's homeless population at 42,694, down from 68,808 in 2007.

[Updated at 6 p.m.: “We know that things are changing,” said Michael Arnold, executive director of the authority. “We know, we can sense, we can feel that there’s a change out there. These numbers provide us with some documentation, that things are really happening in Los Angeles.”

Arnold said the group needs to do further analysis to understand all the reasons behind the drop, which has been mirrored in other cities in the region.

The numbers are striking because they come during a major economic downturn. The recession fueled concerns that more people who lost their jobs would become homeless.

And although there has been an increase in people seeking aid from charity groups, the report says the recession has not translated into more people living on the streets. Arnold said one explanation for the drop in numbers may be that people have moved out of the region to more affordable areas. Los Angeles, he said, “is a hard place to be homeless.]

The homeless population is still centered in central and downtown Los Angeles, according to the survey, but the numbers there have dropped even more significantly. 

The "metro Los Angeles" reporting area, a swath of land including and immediately surrounding downtown L.A., reports a nearly 50% drop, from 22,030 homeless people counted in 2007 to 11,093 in 2009.

In a news release that accompanied the report, the authority's executive director said the drop in overall homeless numbers can be attributed to efforts by the city, county and local service providers to address poverty and homelessness. Those include L.A. County"s $100-million Homeless Prevention Initiative and the city's push for permanent supportive housing.

The report said the most important change is "a paradigm shift. ... Programs are centered on housing placement of homeless families and individuals and providing the tools and skills they need to stay  housed."

The Homeless Services Authority is a joint city-county agency that distributes federal funds to homeless providers. It released preliminary data from the census today.

A summary of the report is available here. 

-- Cara Mia DiMassa

Photo: A man sleeps on Los Angeles Street in skid row. Credit: Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times

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Comments

[Cgopat]

If you're looking at the homeless population centered around downtown LA (Skidrow) you know that has nothing to do with the economy. Those are the ones who never worked anyways. Most are worthless crack addicts who are just leeches on society. Probably most of them are in jail because of the Safer Cities Initiative, where they belong. If you disagree with feelings about them, maybe you can invite them to live in your front yard.

[J in Phx]

How do you count the homeless? Do you rely on the people at the shelters every night? If I was homeless and still had a car or had enough for a tent or something, I'd probably avoid the shelters altogether. Its really hard to believe that less homeless are on the streets since the economies downturn last year.

I've heard phoenix's homeless are on the rise and have heard many stories regarding Joaquin Valleys tent cities emerging throughout to include Sacramento. Thats proof enough for me.

[Regman999]

Exactly 42,694?!? I wonder who was the last one counted......

[Cate]

Um, I believe this to be wrong. I have noticed an increase of homeless in LA, especially in Santa Monica and Venice. Where did they get their numbers from?

[Debra]

The homeless rate most likely dropped because it is to expensive for even the homeless to survive Los Angeles. Check other states. Their homeless rates most likely have increased due our homeless moving to their state. Not a fact just a theory like how they move in the summer to Santa Monica and the winter they move inland to LA. I worked in SM for years and saw the movement because I befriended many in those years. Gone in the winter back in the summer.

[Jacqui]

I'm sure there is a drop...Hemet has a rise in the homeless population due to most of the "LA" homeless being dropped off on our streets. As a small business owner in downtown Hemet, it's appalling when they themselves will tell you they have been rounded up, put on a bus and dropped off here. When in doubt, ship to the Inland Empire!

[Peg]

Sure, it was the city programs that reduced homelessness! NOT. The recession means that there are fewer easy marks handing out cash to beggars. I suspect that many of them have returned to their cities of origin.

[adeline]

Why is it that over the last 12 months (specifically, since the financial crisis started in early October 2008), I have interacted with more homeless people than ever before? Nice, well-dressed people who sit on bus and park benches with decent-looking luggage and their clothes stashed in trash bags.

They're not usually begging for money, but if you talk to them for a few minutes, you'll find out that they are homeless. No middle-class person with a home hangs out in a park all day with their luggage.

I would seriously question the validity of the numbers in this study. These days, the homeless are less often stinky and smelly and more often more like the rest of us. If I was a homeless mother with young children, I would try to avoid any researcher asking questions, because I wouldn't want the state to take my kids away. In other words, I would lie like a rug to keep my family intact, even if that meant denying that I was homeless.

[Mr. Cynic]

Maybe it's because of all the laws that have been passed to get rid of the homeless... and there's been A LOT!

This story is stupid. The real reason there's a population drop is because we're kicking them out! Shame on the writer for trying to spin the story into something it isn't.

[acc]

Mr. Cynic is correct. They are being pushed out. It's shamefull. Instead of offering real help they are intimidated with being put in jail and just plain harrassment. These unfortunate people are being bullied by the police and the system. Their belongs get trashed. These people need help, regardless of their circumstances. Shame on the government for allowing this.

[Big Jim Slade]

Honestly. A classic case of the LA Times NOT DOING ITS HOMEWORK.

[Probably not Rosy]

With so many medical clinics closing, has anyone considered that an increase in homeless deaths could account for the lower numbers?

[Katherine]

They are simply moving into other areas. My ex-husband works with homeless mentally ill on Skid Row. The police are shaking down the homeless people and citing them for bs stuff like jaywalking. The tickets go into warrants, then the next time the police shake them down they go to jail. After that they go into other areas where they are not so concentrated and thus not so visible.

[Fred]

The homeless drop is due to the generosity of the executives at Goldman Sachs. After raiding taxpayers via AIG thus saving certain collapse, they have returned to paying themselves huge bonuses. They figured they should help out with some of their ill gotten wealth of computerized no-fail microtrading, tons of manipulation, and outright purchasing of politicians.

oops, no its not, the GS folks are still greedily ramming wealth down their throats into their ever-fattening bellies

[Everyday Person]

Given the trends I've been following from big cities, I'd say this population drop probably reflects increasingly aggressive 'sweeps' and 'relocation' efforts.

So far, the only thing I haven't heard being reported yet is quasi-military internment/resettlement specialists loading them all onto freight trains bound for Poland. Or perhaps that would be Portland?

I'd set them up in my yard before I'd sit there and watch them die for pete's sake. If you wanna know who these folks are wiki-up homeless US and look at the demographics from just before the 2007-2008 surge of suburbian economic refugees.

And another thing, stop feeding into the hate. These folks are human beings with every bit the same innate and intrinsic value you, I or anybody else has. It would be a one heck of a holiday if the United Nations were to speak out before the United States becomes the next "Worst Humanitarian Crisis."

[Mark]

I have seen an increase here in Fresno so I have no problem believeing there there is some relocation going on.. Also, how often are ilegals included in the numbers and is this an indication that they are not in LA becasue there are less jobs...