Early Count Data Reveals Fewer Encampments, Shows Signs of Improvement
The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) has released preliminary data from the 2025 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count, indicating a 5-10% decrease in unsheltered homelessness within the Los Angeles Continuum of Care (LA CoC). If confirmed, this would mark the second consecutive year of decline, a first since the passage of Measure H.
“When I first came to LAHSA, I publicly stated that we wanted to reduce unsheltered homelessness within three years. We’ve done it in two,” said LAHSA CEO Dr. Va Lecia Adams Kellum. “The turning point came when the City and County aligned by declaring states of emergency on homelessness and proceeded to collaborate through LAHSA to address the crisis. We commend them for that.”
The preliminary data is based on raw counts from the annual unsheltered census, covering every city and unincorporated area of Los Angeles County except for Glendale, Pasadena, and Long Beach. While the numbers do not yet include the multiplier developed by LAHSA’s data partners at USC—which adjusts for undercounting—the initial figures show approximately 3,600 fewer recorded instances of individuals living in tents, makeshift shelters, and vehicles compared to 2024.
Despite the preliminary nature of these findings, LAHSA officials say they build on a series of positive indicators that suggest homelessness in Los Angeles is trending downward. In June 2024, the agency reported an overall decrease in homelessness in both the City and County for the first time since 2017, with a 10% drop in unsheltered homelessness in Los Angeles and a 5% reduction countywide. These improvements coincided with a record-setting 27,419 permanent housing placements in 2023.
The latest figures come on the heels of a January 2025 report on the performance of LAHSA’s rehousing system, which showed notable efficiency gains over the past fiscal year:
- 45% increase in people moved from the streets to permanent housing.
- 32% increase in people moved from the streets to interim housing.
- 29% increase in people moved from interim to permanent housing.
This progress stands in stark contrast to national trends. The 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report found an 18% rise in homelessness across the United States, while Los Angeles posted a decline.
LAHSA attributes much of the improvement to stronger coordination between the City and County, as well as several key operational reforms inspired by successful models from Houston:
- Encampment Resolution Efforts: The agency partnered with Mayor Karen Bass on the Inside Safe program and provided logistical support for the County’s Pathway Home initiative, bringing thousands of people indoors.
- Strike Team Initiative: LAHSA created a task force to remove bureaucratic bottlenecks in the rehousing system, accelerating the move from interim housing to permanent residences.
- Batch Matching System: The agency now uses a universal housing application to pre-identify multiple candidates for each available supportive housing unit, ensuring vacancies are filled faster.
- Master Leasing Strategy: LAHSA leases entire apartment buildings, reducing administrative delays and cutting the average move-in time from four months to just a few weeks.
Despite these advances, LAHSA’s funding remains in question as city and county officials evaluate whether to reallocate portions of the agency’s budget to other departments. Dr. Adams Kellum urged decision-makers to prioritize continuity and stability in funding to sustain the agency’s recent progress.
“It’s important for decision-makers to focus on change while continuing the momentum LAHSA, the rehousing system, the City, and the County have produced over the last two years,” she said. “LA has been waiting years for this moment. Let’s trust what we have built and the real progress we are making.”
LAHSA expects to release the full results of the 2025 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count in late spring or early summer.
