Chart by pasadenahomelesscount.org
Pasadena released its 2024 Homeless Count Results and included data on housing provided during the last year.
By News Desk
The count showed that 556 people were experiencing homelessness on January 23, 2024, which was the same number obtained when a similar count was conducted in 2023. The data shows the number of homeless reported in these annual counts has been very stable for the last five years: 542 in 2019, 527 in 2020, 512 in 2022, 556 in 2023 and 556 again this year. The subpopulation of homeless who are veterans has remained relatively stable as well: 32 in 2019, 38 in 2020, 28 in 2022 40 in 2023 and 32 this year. This year’s homeless number of 556 is about 0.4% of the 135,000 estimated for the population of Pasadena.
Pasadena Annual Count (Chart – Ann Hunnewell)
The housing data provided shows a steady pattern of reportedly increasing numbers of the homeless being housed annually in Pasadena over the same period: 168 in 2019, 206 in 2020, 249 in 2022 and 367 in 2023. The number of individuals housed this past year was more than double the number housed in 2019.
Since the number of newly homeless was 90 in 2019 and 91 in 2024, it seems that about 90 new people are becoming homeless each year. That would require a rise of 450 in those housed from 2019 to 2024 in order for the total number of homeless to be stable if everyone who was newly or previously homeless stayed in Pasadena and those previously housed stayed in their housing. Those housed rose by 199 in Pasadena (and by only 109 when Pasadena and partners areas are considered) from 2019 to 2024, not enough to account for 450 newly homeless.
It is possible that those homeless, whether newly or more long-term, and perhaps those housed as well, moved out of Pasadena during these years. This could explain why even though there were a lot more newly homeless than there were newly housed during these five years, the total number of homeless remained stable. There are likely many moving parts to this.
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