Los Angeles reported seeing a decrease in the city’s homeless population for the first time in six years after the city had gone through countless efforts to address the homelessness situation.
In a press release from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), it was revealed that there were 45,252 unhoused individuals in the city of Los Angeles, a 2.2 percent decrease from 2023 when LAHSA revealed the city had seen roughly 46,260 homeless people.
LAHSA also revealed that the unsheltered population in the city had decreased to 29,275, or 10.4 percent. However, the shelter count in L.A. was reported to have increased to 15,977, or 17.7 percent, according to the press release.
“For so many years, the count has shown increases in homelessness, and we have all felt that in our neighborhoods,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement. “But we leaned into change. And we have changed the trajectory of this crisis and have moved L.A. in a new direction.”
The city saw a 38 percent decrease in makeshift shelters and added that “the number of people who moved into permanent housing is at an all time high.”
This comes as a high-rise residential tower to house the homeless recently opened up. The residential building cost $600,000 per unit to build.
Bass has previously asked residents of Los Angeles to donate money that would be used to purchase property to house the homeless population in the city.
Over the past several years, Los Angeles has attempted to address the homeless situation in the city by enacting several tax hikes.