Los Angeles Homeless Count Rises 3.4% After Two Years Of Decline
The 2026 point-in-time count found 45,194 homeless people in the city of Los Angeles, a 3.4% increase from 2025 that reverses two years of decline.[1]
The count found the number of people sleeping outside or in vehicles rose 7.9% from 2025.[2] Across Los Angeles County, which covers more than 80 cities, total homelessness rose 1.2% between 2025 and 2026.[2]
Mayor Karen Bass said on July 23, 2026 that federal safety-net cuts, state reductions and city-county tensions over mental health funding contributed to the reversal.[2] She said her administration has moved tens of thousands into interim housing since 2023, including about 6,000 people through the Inside Safe program.[2]
Show source details & analysis (1 source)
📌 Key Facts
- The 2026 point-in-time count found 45,194 homeless people in the city of Los Angeles, including those in shelters.
- Compared with 2025, the city’s total homeless population increased 3.4%, while the number of people sleeping outside or in vehicles rose 7.9%.
- Across the wider Los Angeles County count area, which includes more than 80 cities, total homelessness increased by 1.2% between 2025 and 2026.
- Mayor Karen Bass said on July 23, 2026, that federal safety-net cuts, state reductions, and city-county tensions over mental health funding contributed to the reversal.
- Bass said her administration has moved tens of thousands into interim housing since 2023, including about 6,000 people through the Inside Safe program.
📰 Source Timeline (1)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
July 23, 2026