The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority recently released the results of the Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count for the year 2018. The report is the most comprehensive analysis of homelessness in Los Angeles County and details the already visible accomplishments provided by Measure H funding. Overall, the report offers an encouraging outlook for the homelessness crisis in LA County since Measure H went into effect. Some of the brighter takeaways from the report include:

•   Youth housing placements increased 43%
•   Veteran homelessness decreased 18%
•   Chronic homelessness decreased 16%
•   A 5% decrease in homelessness in the city of Los Angeles
•   A 3% decrease in homelessness in the county of Los Angeles

The good news is more people are being placed into housing than ever before. The Countywide Veterans Benefit Advocacy Program has yielded inspiring results for the area’s homeless veterans. Furthermore, assistance directed toward the county’s unsheltered youth has also demonstrated quick success. While strides are being made there was an overall increase in “persons experiencing homelessness for the first time.” Forty-six percent of people experiencing homelessness for the first time said it was due to loss of employment or other financial reasons. Exhaustingly, Los Angeles County needs over 565,000 new affordable housing units for low income renters—16,000 more than in 2017.

Lastly, 75% of the estimated 53,195 homeless persons in LA County remain unsheltered. The number of vehicles, tents, and makeshift shelters increased 5%. This is a reminder of how necessary it was to pass Measure H. We still have almost a decade left to use the funding and improve upon the achievements of the measure’s first year.

Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count: 2018 Results