L.A. County Homelessness Rises 1.2% as Leaders Differ on Path Forward

Los Angeles County leaders offered differing perspectives on the 2026 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count after new data showed homelessness increased 1.2% countywide, ending two consecutive years of declines.

By News Desk

According to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), an estimated 73,040 people are experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles County. Although the overall increase was modest, officials pointed to both local progress and persistent challenges as they outlined their priorities for addressing the crisis.

Los Angeles County Board Chair and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis said the latest figures underscore the need for continued investment in housing, outreach and supportive services.

“The latest homeless count reflects the challenges communities across Los Angeles County are facing every day,” Solis said. “While we have made meaningful progress, too many residents are still struggling to find stable housing.”

Solis highlighted the creation of more than 10,000 affordable housing units in the First District over the past decade and pointed to initiatives including the Hilda L. Solis Care First Village, Restorative Care Village, Skid Row Care Campus and the MacArthur Park Care Collaborative as examples of integrated approaches that combine housing, health care and supportive services.

She also cited progress through the Skid Row Action Plan and the Pathway Home program, saying thousands of people have been connected to interim housing, with many moving into permanent housing. Solis added that cities including Montebello, Baldwin Park, Pomona and El Monte have expanded local homelessness programs through tiny home villages, shelters and affordable housing developments.

Solis said the county’s newly created Department of Homeless Services and Housing is intended to improve transparency and accountability, while the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency will focus on preventing homelessness before it occurs.

She also welcomed the state’s decision to restore funding for the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) Program, calling the funding essential for outreach, interim housing, rental assistance and homelessness prevention.

Looking beyond local government, Solis criticized federal policies under the Trump administration, arguing that proposed reductions to health care, nutrition assistance and housing programs could increase homelessness by weakening the social safety net. She said more than 53,000 people entered the county’s homeless services system in 2025 and called for sustained state and federal support.

Meanwhile, Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger said the annual homeless count is only one measure of the county’s response and argued that more must be done to address severe mental illness and substance use disorders.

“The annual homeless count provides valuable information, but it is only one measure of our work and does not reflect the full picture of the challenges that remain,” Barger said.

Barger pointed to a 37% reduction in unsheltered homelessness in the Antelope Valley as evidence that targeted strategies can produce results. At the same time, she acknowledged that many residents continue to judge progress based on visible street homelessness.

“Residents look to our streets as the most visible indicator of whether we’re making progress, and too many still see people living in crisis,” she said.

Barger argued that housing alone cannot resolve the crisis and renewed her call for expanded access to intensive treatment for people experiencing severe mental illness and substance use disorders. She said outdated federal restrictions continue to limit the county’s ability to provide care and noted that LAHSA has identified securing federal Institutions for Mental Diseases (IMD) waivers as part of efforts to expand mental health treatment capacity.

She said the county has an obligation to taxpayers, communities and people experiencing homelessness alike.

“We owe taxpayers accountability. We owe our communities safer and healthier neighborhoods. And, most importantly, we owe people experiencing homelessness every opportunity to recover and rebuild their lives,” Barger said.

Although Solis and Barger emphasized different approaches, both agreed homelessness remains one of Los Angeles County’s most pressing challenges and that continued action will be needed to reduce the number of people living without permanent housing.