Posted on 07/16/2024
ONE BIG THING: DISTRCT 13’S HOMELESSNESS COUNT RESULTS
Two weeks ago, we covered how for the first time in six years, the annual LAHSA Homeless Count found that homelessness in the City of LA is decreasing. Citywide, unsheltered homelessness is down over 10%, and permanent housing placements are up 18% to an all-time high.
District level counts are harder to draw conclusions from because of a smaller sample size, but it’s still worth taking a look at the raw data.
This shows a:
• 38% decrease in unsheltered homeless individuals – which refers to people who are living on the street without any type of structure like a tent or tarp to protect them from the elements
• 8% increase in sheltered individuals – this reflects increased interim housing capacity from Inside Safe, Hollywood 2.0, and more. As long as permanent housing placements continue at a record pace, this is a positive sign.
• 5% increase in vehicular homelessness – people living in cars, vans, and RVs are more likely to have recently become homeless after getting evicted.
• 38% decrease in tents.
• 42% decrease in makeshift shelters.
Why It Matters
These are the raw totals from just our district – but this data, and the Homeless Count overall, shows that even with so much left to do – our approach is working.
It's a true testament to how the community has come together to choose solutions over fearmongering. Service providers, neighbors, nonprofits, neighboring council districts, and our homelessness team are all focused on the same mission of providing housing and mental health/addiction services to the people who need them. We know what works, and now it's time to speed up our progress.
Click here for the LAHSA Homeless Count raw data dashboard, where you can learn more about the raw data totals and how the annual count works.
Two More Quick Hits!
1. Lotus Festival this Weekend!
Join us at Echo Park Lake today and tomorrow (Saturday and Sunday) for the 43rd Annual Lotus Festival, which this year is celebrating the Philippines!
Amazing food, performances, and activities will be around all weekend, but come today to catch the District 13 team race in the Dragon Boat Competition!
2. Street Vending Permit Cost Officially Lowered
This week after City Council approved an ordinance introduced by Councilmembers Nithya Raman and Curren Price, StreetsLA officially lowered the cost of street vending permits by hundreds of dollars to just $27.51.
This massive step forward directly resulted from years of persistent organizing by vendors who couldn't afford permits that cost hundreds of dollars. Now, thousands of vendors in LA will be able to obtain a permit and operate legally and safely within the city.