The number of homeless in Los Angeles County increased nearly 13% before the coronavirus pandemic hit.
The Los Angeles Times reported the surge came despite hundreds of millions of dollars spent to curb homelessness. It marked the fifth time in six years the number of homeless grew in the county.
The annual count of homeless is taken in January.
“This doesn’t take into account the almost 600,000 people that, since January, and even just since May, have lost their jobs due to COVID-19,” said Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority Executive Director Heidi Marston.
According to the Times, the annual point-in-time count released Friday estimated the county’s homeless population at 66,433, up about 13% from the prior year. It is the second consecutive double-digit increase.
The CBS affiliate in Los Angeles reported nearly 59,000 people were homeless in the county last year.
And this year’s homeless estimate for the city of Los Angeles was 41,290, up almost 14% over last year — only slightly less than last year’s increase of 16%, according to the Times.
CBS News reported a federal judge had cited health concerns related to COVID-19 last month and ordered the city of Los Angeles to relocate thousands of homeless people living near freeway overpasses and underpasses.
And it noted the city has turned several recreations centers into emergency shelters.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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