Increase in Homeless Count in Los Angeles Since 2013; Continued Initiatives Needed
The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), the City-County agency tasked with addressing homelessness in Los Angeles County, released the results of its biennial Los Angeles Homeless Count conducted in January 2015. The data show a 12 percent increase in the number of homeless men, women and children across Los Angeles County (this includes Glendale, Pasadena and Long Beach) since 2013, showing 44,359 homeless persons in 2015, compared to 39,461 in 2013.
Service Planning Areas (SPAs) that experienced the largest increase since 2013 were SPA 7 (47%), SPA 8 (39%) and SPA 1 (33%). To prevent people from becoming homeless, Mayor Eric Garcetti is proposing an increase in the minimum wage and calling for more housing and services for the most vulnerable. Coordinated Entry System (CES) is one program, launched as a pilot in 2011, which seeks to improve access to services, service coordination, and targeted housing intervention for homeless individuals with the highest need. To learn more about CES, visit the United Way of Greater Los Angeles website for local CES coordinator contact information.
From the health care front, National Health Foundation’s Recuperative Care Center, offers two locations (Mid-City/Los Angeles and La Puente/San Gabriel Valley) that provide hospitals a discharge option for homeless patients who are not sick enough to remain in the hospital. It is estimated that patients are kept up to four extra days in the hospital, due to insufficient availability of appropriate beds. Recuperative Care is a cost effective way to provide needed aftercare to homeless patients in a safe, clean environment so that they can recover, receive medical oversight, attend follow-up appointments, and connect to supportive services and housing options. Since the inception of the program in 2010, the program has provided more than $28 million in cost savings to hospitals. Additionally, 40 percent of Recuperative Care participants have been placed in supportive or permanent housing after hospital discharge.
Contact: Jaime Garcia, (213) 538-0702, jgarcia@hasc.org