Cato Hernández
scours through tons of archives to understand how our region became the way it is today.
Published July 22, 2025 2:47 PM
The Taft Avenue house in Hollywood will get a new community.
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Cato Hernández
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LAist
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Topline:
A new effort is underway to help fire-affected Angelenos get back into homes faster. The Historic House Relocation Project aims to restore character to the Altadena neighborhood by reviving an old practice.
What’s happening? Old homes slated for demolition are being relocated to Altadena. The project is being led by Omgivning, an L.A.-based architecture and interiors firm, which is connecting residents to these homes and helping deconstruct and move them to their property.
Why now? Relocating homes is seldom done today, but it used to be pretty common in the mid-1900s. The method is making a comeback now because the fires created a lot of empty space, which typically isn’t available anymore in built-up L.A.
What’s next? The first two homes are being cut up into pieces and will be moved soon from Hollywood and Los Feliz to Altadena. Reconstructing them is expected to take about a year. Dozens more homes may be next.
Read on… to learn more about the residents’ journey.
Residents of Altadena who lost their homes have faced a huge crossroads: rebuild theirs or move into a new one.
For many, high rebuilding and housing market costs are making it harder to return to their community. But what if there was a less expensive alternative to rebuilding that also didn’t mean changing your address?
That’s where the Historic House Relocation Project comes in. The project is replacing homes by taking ones slated for demolition and putting them on fire-affected lots. The first two homes are expected to begin the move over the next few weeks.
Moving homes revives an old approach
The project is being led by Omgivning, an L.A.-based architecture and interiors firm that focuses on adaptive reuse of existing buildings.
Morgan Sykes Jaybush, creative director at the firm, got the idea in early February while looking at lists of demolition permits for buildings over 40 years old.
“They’re not designated historic, but they’re just like great, sweet houses,” Jaybush said. “It made me just really sad to see that there was nothing that could be done about it.”
Want to participate?
The project is open to anyone who lost a home in the Eaton or Palisades fires, has an empty lot and can afford the move.
If you’re a homeowner interested in donating a house, or know about a home that could be donated, you can fill out this form. If you’re interested in acquiring a house to relocate to your property, fill out this form.
Then a lightbulb moment hit. Couldn’t these homes help Altadena?
Relocating homes isn’t new, but it doesn’t happen as much as it used to. In the mid-1900s, plenty of houses were moved for various redevelopment reasons, such as razing Bunker Hill, building the 101 Freeway, or even just expanding a school.
Over the last five years, L.A. has issued just eight relocation permits, according to building and safety spokesperson Devin Myrick. Brad Chambers, a conservationist and consultant on the project, said there are a lot of benefits.
“ Preservation’s really the first, second benefit is you’re contributing to the housing supply,” Chambers said. “The third is you are actually keeping things from going into the landfill.”
Currently, a pair of two-story homes are in the process of moving to Altadena. Dozens more may be on the way.
How relocating works
Omgivning connects interested homeowners to properties that are scheduled to be razed. Jaybush is also assisting with permits and contracting. He’s found around 80 other houses to relocate with about a dozen families already lined up to buy.
“ We’ve been slowly cold calling those property owners to see if they would allow us to relocate the house in lieu of throwing it into a landfill,” he said.
If all goes well, the two parties forge a deal — ideally at a very low cost — to transfer ownership of just the materials on the lot before it’s torn down. The new owners are responsible for the moving costs and rehabilitation, if it’s needed.
The Saint George Street home in Los Feliz on July 16, 2025. This house's second story has been removed.
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Cato Hernández
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LAist
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The top of the Saint George Street house.
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Cato Hernández
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LAist
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The home is dismantled once an agreement is set. If there’s a second story, it’s removed, along with things like cabinets and baseboards, and stashed on the first floor. That can take about six weeks depending on the size.
The buildings are then split into pieces, like a loaf of bread, and moved individually on flatbed trucks at night. A special route is planned out that avoids bridges, underpasses, railroad tracks, freeways and powerlines.
Once at their destinations, the homes are reassembled on box cribs while a new foundation is built. That process can take about six months. The home is then lowered onto the foundation and connected to plumbing, gas and electricity.
‘Like a house I grew up in’
Evan Chambers stands on the second floor of the Taft Avenue house on July 16, 2025. The Chambers family has been living in his glass-blowing warehouse in Pasadena in the interim.
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Cato Hernández
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One of the first homes moving is a 1911 two-story Craftsman on Taft Avenue in Hollywood. A few days prior to my visit, new owner Evan Chambers said it was being used as an Airbnb. Even though this house was livable, it was up for demolition because the lot is getting redeveloped into multi-family housing.
Evan and his wife Caitlin were drawn to the home after she found it on Instagram.
“ It’s kind of like a house I grew up in that my parents bought in the late 60s,” Evan said. “ I have zero interest in rebuilding. I don’t want to live in a new house. I don’t want to pay somebody to build a new house. I don’t like new materials.”
They bought the home for only a dollar. However, in total, the Chambers expect to shell out around $550,000 for the move, which they’re funding with a mix of insurance payouts, savings and money from a GoFundMe campaign. The two plan to fix up the house as well.
“ Something really scrappy like this feels like very Altadena to me, so I like that part,” Caitlin said.
The process should take nine to 12 months. Jaybush says that’s faster than the roughly three years he’s hearing it could take to rebuild.
Light at the end of a tunnel
The other home being relocated is also a two-story Craftsman from 1910 in Los Feliz on Saint George Street. This is the second time it’s been moved. In 1948, it was driven a few miles down the road to save it from those 101 Freeway demolitions. The owner held a party inside while it happened.
New owners Jacques Laramee and Gwen Sukeena are excited for this new chapter after losing their original Altadena home only a few months after purchasing it.
“ This has been a really overwhelming experience in a very good way,” Sukeena said. “We’re at least able to see a little bit of light at the end of a very dark tunnel.”
Jacques Laramee and Gwen Sukeena at their Saint George Street house on July 16, 2025. This building is likely to move to Altadena in the beginning of August.
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Cato Hernández
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LAist
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Gwen Sukeena says this home will be nearly double the size of the one that burned down.
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Cato Hernández
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LAist
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The couple decided to move forward with relocating for a few reasons, but the home’s vintage feel was a deciding factor.
“We’re standing in a 115-year-old home, so there’s lots of beautiful woodwork and character in this home,” Laramee said.
Similarly to the Taft house, it would’ve been torn down for redevelopment. The couple’s deal was more expensive — they purchased the materials for $75,000. It’ll likely be a year before they can move in due to renovations.
Sukeena isn’t sure yet what total costs may look like, but they’re expecting to pay a third less than what it would cost to buy a new home.
Yama Sushi Marketplace locations will host a rotating lineup of Asian-owned brands through the end of the month.
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Gab Chabrán
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LAist
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In this edition:
Stroll the Balboa Island Art Walk, play Ryan Adams’ pinball machines, read kids' books to trees and more of the best things to do this weekend.
Highlights:
Is there a more idyllic corner of SoCal than Balboa Island? Stroll the promenade and enjoy the art and the views at the 31st annual Balboa Island Art Walk. There’s live music and more than 90 artists showing their work with an ocean backdrop.
Head down to Anaheim to check out (and maybe bid on) your next game room addition. Ryan Adams — yep, that’s the one, former Mr. Mandy Moore and indie rocker royalty of the early 2000s — is apparently a big arcade collector, and he’s auctioning off much of his collection. There’s a wide range of arcade games and pinball machines on view to the public, plus opportunities to play, meet collectors and see the warehouse.
The John Rowland Mansion is the oldest extant brick building in Southern California, and has a unique history that the House Museum has recently been instrumental in preserving. Spend some time at the Greek revival building with the whole family for The Giving Trees, a reading of children’s books to trees (with gratitude to Shel Silverstein!) in the garden at the permanent installation Let’s Make a Garden From Old Wounds.
So many of us have stories about secret shows, celeb sightings and special guests showing up at the intimate Hotel Cafe over the past 26 years. The venue’s Instagram has a bevy of famous well-wishers popping into the chat. So it’s truly the end of an era as the iconic night spot hosts its final shows at the Cahuenga location, wrapping things up with a party called Last Dance at the Hotel Cafe featuring Sara Bareilles and many more on Friday.
But if you can’t score a ticket, fear not, because there’s plenty more music on the agenda for this weekend. Licorice Pizza’s Lyndsey Parker recommends Friday shows St. Lucia at the Fonda; Santigold at the Bellwether; Alejandro Sanz at the Greek; and Desert Daze’s Microdazing at the Bellwether, featuring various DJs, including KCRW’s Travis Holcombe and Beastie Boys producer Mario C. Saturday, Demi Lovato is at the Forum, friend-of-LAist Flea plays the Fonda and the big Japanese music festival Zipangu is at Brookside at the Rose Bowl, featuring Atarashii Gakko!, Ado and many more. And on Sunday, Echo & the Bunnymen are at the Greek, and Father John Misty plays the Fox Theater in Pomona.
Elsewhere on LAist, you can get a behind-the-scenes look at historic Santa Monica music store and venue McCabe’s Guitar Shop, find out what gets left behind at Metro’s Lost & Found and get tickets for next week’s LAist x Moth StorySlam at Los Globos.
Events
Los Angeles Old Time Social
Friday and Saturday, May 15 and 16 Velaslavasay Panorama 1122 W. 24th Street, University Park COST: SUGGESTED $20; MORE INFO
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Corey Burns
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Los Angeles Old Time Social
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The 16th annual Los Angeles Old Time Social celebrates the vibrant old-time music scene in Southern California. A kickoff concert on Friday is followed by a full day of activities on Saturday, May 16 at The Velaslavasay Panorama in West Adams. Attend workshops and jams for banjo, fiddle, guitar, singing and dancing. The event is capped off on Saturday night with a big square dance and musical cakes from 7:30 to 10 p.m. No experience or partner is needed. The square dance caller walks everyone through the moves before every song, so it’s easy to follow along in a fun and no-pressure environment.
Chocoholics and ice cream fiends will know pastry chef David Lebovitz’s work well. The Paris-based dessert king is in town promoting his cookbooks, The Great Book of Chocolate and Ready for Dessert with a special event at Friends & Family. His ice cream book is the bible for anyone who's tried their hand at making ice cream at home, and his other desserts also stand up to the test. Yum.
The Giving Trees
Saturday, May 16, 3:30 p.m. John Rowland Mansion 15959 E. Gale Ave., City of Industry COST: FREE; MORE INFO
The John Rowland Mansion is the oldest extant brick building in Southern California, and has a unique history that the House Museum has recently been instrumental in preserving. Spend some time at the Greek revival building with the whole family for The Giving Trees, a reading of children’s books to trees (with gratitude to Shel Silverstein!) in the garden at the permanent installation Let’s Make a Garden From Old Wounds.
Celebrity-Owned Private Collection Arcade and Pinball Auction
Sunday, May 17, 9 a.m. preview Captain’s Auction Warehouse 4421 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim COST: FREE TO PERUSE; MORE INFO
File this one under weird and wonderful. Head down to Anaheim to check out (and maybe bid on) your next game room addition. Ryan Adams — yep, that’s the one, former Mr. Mandy Moore and indie rocker royalty of the early 2000s — is apparently a big arcade collector, and he’s auctioning off much of his collection. There’s a wide range of arcade games and pinball machines on view to the public, plus opportunities to play, meet collectors and see the warehouse.
Red Bull Soapbox Race
Saturday, May 16, 11 a.m. Gloria Molina Grand Park 200 N. Grand Ave., Downtown L.A. COST: FREE; MORE INFO
Daredevils will have a field day at Red Bull’s Soapbox Race, which will transform Grand Park into a cinematic racecourse, where 30 teams, selected from more than 400 applicants, will compete with gravity-powered, homemade crafts for ultimate bragging rights.
Black Association of Documentary Filmmakers: Day of Black Docs
Saturday, May 16, 12 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. American Film Institute 2021 North Western Ave., Los Feliz COST: FROM $23; MORE INFO
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Check out documentaries from Black filmmakers that “explore themes of social justice, self-determination, and community, highlighting the revolutionary leaders and movements that can help inform our present moment.” The day includes three feature-length films and one short film, with two that focus on L.A. history. Q&As will be moderated by journalist and AirTalk film critic Tim Cogshell.
Balboa Island Art Walk
Sunday, May 17, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. South Bayfront Promenade Newport Beach COST: FREE; MORE INFO
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Courtesy Balboa Island Artwalk
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Is there a more idyllic corner of SoCal than Balboa Island? Stroll the promenade and enjoy the art and the views at the 31st annual Balboa Island Art Walk. There’s live music and more than 90 artists showing their work with an ocean backdrop.
AAPI Market at Yama Sushi Marketplace
Through Saturday, May 30 Various locations (West L.A., San Gabriel and Koreatown) COST: VARIES, MORE INFO
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Courtesy Yama Sushi
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A rotating lineup of makers featuring Asian-owned brands is popping up at Yama Sushi Marketplace throughout May. This weekend, Omiso founder Ai Fujimoto will be sampling her yuzu miso paired with Yama’s black cod; also available for purchase as a frozen item. On May 30, DoShop Cookies will be available with baker Thy Do sampling her fan-favorite cookies, debuting new flavors and hosting a raffle.
Aaron Schrank
has been on the ground, reporting on homelessness and other issues in L.A. for more than a decade.
Published May 14, 2026 5:00 AM
Two tents on a sidewalk in Hollywood
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Ethan Ward
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Topline:
A group of volunteers in Hollywood say they are conducting their own homeless count in the area next week because they don't trust the results of the official regional one. The effort is organized by Hollywood 4WRD.
Hollywood count: About 60 volunteers, mostly staff from Hollywood service provider organizations, are expected to fan out across 30 census tracts Tuesday. Results will be made public a week later May 27, according to organizers.
Why it matters: The neighborhood count comes amid growing questions about the accuracy of the official regional homeless tally. The city of L.A.'s unhoused population decreased by 5.5% between 2023 and 2025, according to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. But a2025 analysis by the RAND Corporation found LAHSA had undercounted people living outside in certain areas, including Hollywood.
Since 2021, RAND researchers have conducted their own counts in Hollywood, Skid Row and Venice. That research effort, known as LA LEADS, has since lost funding.
Read on ... for details on the Hollywood count.
A group of volunteers in Hollywood say they are conducting their own homeless count in the area next week because they don't trust the results of the official regional one.
The effort is organized by Hollywood 4WRD, a coalition of nonprofit service providers, businesses and residents. About 60 volunteers, mostly staff from Hollywood service provider organizations, are expected to fan out across 30 census tracts Tuesday.
Results will be made public a week later May 27, according to organizers.
The neighborhood count comes amid growing questions about the accuracy of the official regional homeless tally.
The city of L.A.'s unhoused population decreased by 5.5% between 2023 and 2025, according toofficial estimates from the annual count conducted by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, or LAHSA. But a2025 analysis by the RAND Corporation found that LAHSA undercounted people living outside in certain areas, including Hollywood.
Hollywood 4WRD executive director Brittney Weissman said the organization’s own experience volunteering for the LAHSA count this year raised even more questions about accuracy.
“Our experience was so confounding, perplexing and inefficient that we've been really deeply questioning the value, utility and accuracy of the count for a couple of years now,” Weissman said.
Organizers said the Hollywood count will use methodology developed by RAND researchers, who ran their own professional counts in Hollywood, Skid Row and Venice from 2021 until earlier this year.
That research effort, known as LA LEADS, has since lost funding.
“If LA LEADS was continuously funded into the future, we would not be doing this effort,” Weissman said. "Because it's no longer funded, we felt we needed to take our own initiative to understand the lay of the land here.”
What's at stake?
More than $300 million in federal and county dollars are allocated annually based on homeless count results. That includes $220 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and nearly $100 million from L.A. County's Measure A sales tax.
LAHSA conducted its most recent official homeless count in January. The agency said it hopes to release the results this summer but has not confirmed a release date.
In her reelection campaign, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass takes credit for reducing homelessness in the city. The official count underpinning her claim is the same one RAND found was missing nearly a third of unsheltered people in key neighborhoods.
Weissman said Hollywood service providers need to know now whether more people are living in vehicles or sleeping outside, so they can adjust how they're doing outreach.
Organizers timed the May 27 release to influence budget negotiations still underway at City Hall, according to Weissman.
She noted that Bass' proposed budget does not include funding for Safe Parking LA, a program that allows unhoused Angelenos to live legally in their vehicles within sanctioned parking lots.
"If we find that vehicular homelessness is on the rise here and we need it badly, this gives us evidence with which to petition decisionmakers for that resource in our community," she said.
What RAND found
RAND's LA LEADS project ran bimonthly counts in Hollywood, Skid Row and Venice from 2021 until this January.
Comparing LAHSA’s official counts to its own, a RAND report found the 2025 homeless count captured 68% of the unsheltered population across those three neighborhoods.
RAND found the population of unsheltered people in Hollywood dropped 49% in 2024, a decline it linked to the city’s Inside Safe program. But the official LAHSA count still captured only 81% of what RAND found in the neighborhood.
The people being missed were mostly vehicle dwellers and “rough sleepers” — people living with no shelter, RAND said.
Skid Row's official tally fared worse, capturing 61% of what RAND found there.
Hollywood 4WRD said its methodology follows RAND’s LA LEADS methodology, which the group said is more precise than LAHSA’s approach.
Each census tract will be covered by at least two independent volunteers, a quality-control measure that helps organizers flag areas that might need to be recounted.
Volunteers will also use pens and paper to record their observations, instead of a mobile app. LAHSA has used an app for its count since 2022 and has acknowledged repeated technical problems with it.
The unofficial homeless count this month is limited to Hollywood, unlike LAHSA's countywide effort. Weissman said she hopes the effort will encourage other neighborhoods to check their own local data.
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Gab Chabrán
covers what's happening in food and culture for LAist.
Published May 14, 2026 5:00 AM
Eight decades in, the original Tommy's stand at Beverly and Rampart still glows.
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Courtesy Original Tommy's
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Topline:
Original Tommy's turns 80 this week. To mark the octogenarian occasion, on Friday, a chili cheeseburger will cost you just 80 cents instead of the regular $5.50 at all locations, noon-8 p.m.
Why it matters: In Los Angeles, you can't get more local than a Tommy's Burger. Consuming the smothered burger — its signature beanless chili dripping through the to-go wrapper — is a rite of passage for many. Eight decades in, the original stand is still standing at Beverly and Rampart.
The details: On Friday, noon to 8 p.m. only, you can get 80-cent chili cheeseburgers (limit three per person) at all Southern California and Nevada locations. The anniversary celebration at the original downtown L.A. location includes the Belmont High School Marching Band, a DJ and a resolution from Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez , who represents the area, honoring 80 years of business in California.
The backstory: Tommy Koulax opened the original stand at Beverly and Rampart in 1946. This week, the iconic SoCal chain, which spawned many competitors, celebrates 80 years across all 32 of its locations — and you're invited. Daughter Cynthia Koulax will be greeting the community Friday, alongside CEO Dawna Bernal and CFO Richard Hicks.
Topline:
Original Tommy's turns 80 this week. To mark the octogenarian occasion, on Friday, a chili cheeseburger will cost you just 80 cents instead of the regular $5.50 at all locations, noon-8 p.m.
Why it matters: In Los Angeles, you can't get more local than a Tommy's Burger. Consuming the smothered burger — its signature beanless chili dripping through the to-go wrapper — is a rite of passage for many. Eight decades in, the original stand is still standing at Beverly and Rampart.
The details: Friday, noon to 8 p.m. only, you can get 80-cent chili cheeseburgers (limit three per person) at all Southern California and Nevada locations. The anniversary celebration at the original downtown L.A. location includes the Belmont High School Marching Band, a DJ and a resolution from Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez , who represents the area, honoring 80 years of business in California.
The backstory: Tommy Koulax opened the original stand at Beverly and Rampart in 1946. This week, the iconic SoCal chain, which spawned many competitors, celebrates 80 years across all 32 of its locations — and you're invited. Daughter Cynthia Koulax will be greeting the community Friday, alongside CEO Dawna Bernal and CFO Richard Hicks.
Henry Wilkinson and Kristina Ross record a makeshift shelter during LAHSA's homeless count Jan. 20.
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LAist
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Topline:
Every December, the federal government releases a report that reveals the number of homeless residents in each state and across the country. It’s now May and the report, which compiles data from a homeless census known as the “point-in-time count,” is nowhere to be found.
Point in time count: For the past two decades, the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development has required local regions to take a census of their homeless populations every other year in a massive undertaking called the point-in-time count. Volunteers go out on foot over a day or two in January and count every person they see living outside. People sleeping in shelters are tallied as well. Counters also conduct surveys of a sample of unhoused people, collecting extra data on people’s race, age, gender, time spent homeless, medical and mental health conditions, and more. Each jurisdiction must submit their count to HUD by the spring. They also release their local data to the public. Meanwhile, HUD verifies the data, tallies the total count for each state and for the country as a whole, submits a public report to Congress and uploads more detailed data on its website.
Why it matters: While there’s no legal deadline, that report usually comes out in December of the year of the count. It’s unclear why the 2025 report still isn’t out. The delay is a problem because the report dictates how funding is allocated in California and beyond. It also shapes policy decisions and provides the country’s main barometer for how the homelessness crisis is being managed. The five-month delay is leaving public officials, policymakers and advocates scratching their heads. California has filled the gap by tallying its own data, showing a 9% drop in the number of people sleeping outside. But unlike the official federal report, California’s analysis leaves out information such as the race, age and mental health status of the people who are counted. And without the full federal report, there’s no way to tell where California stands compared to other states.
Every December, the federal government releases a report that reveals the number of homeless residents in each state and across the country.
It’s now May and the report, which compiles data from a homeless census known as the “point-in-time count,” is nowhere to be found.
That’s a problem because the report dictates how funding is allocated in California and beyond. It also shapes policy decisions and provides the country’s main barometer for how the homelessness crisis is being managed.
The five-month delay is leaving public officials, policymakers and advocates scratching their heads. California has filled the gap by tallying its own data, showing a 9% drop in the number of people sleeping outside. But unlike the official federal report, California’s analysis leaves out information such as the race, age and mental health status of the people who are counted. And without the full federal report, there’s no way to tell where California stands compared to other states.
“It’s a big deal,” said Jesse Rabinowitz, spokesperson for the National Homelessness Law Center. “This is, by what I can tell, the latest any point-in-time count has ever come out, including the years where it was delayed during COVID.”
'Point-in-time' count
For the past two decades, the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development has required local regions to take a census of their homeless populations every other year in a massive undertaking called the point-in-time count. Volunteers go out on foot over a day or two in January and count every person they see living outside. People sleeping in shelters are tallied as well. Counters also conduct surveys of a sample of unhoused people, collecting extra data on people’s race, age, gender, time spent homeless, medical and mental health conditions and more.
The count isn’t perfect (volunteers can easily miss people, and different counties use different methods), but it’s a key tool policy makers use to measure changes in the population.
Each jurisdiction (which is known in HUD parlance as a “continuum of care” and typically is made up of a county and the cities within it) must submit their count to HUD by the spring. They also release their local data to the public. Meanwhile, HUD verifies the data, tallies the total count for each state and for the country as a whole, submits a public report to Congress and uploads more detailed data on its website.
While there’s no legal deadline, that report usually comes out in December of the year of the count. In 2021 and 2020, when COVID disrupted counts, the reports came out the following February and March, respectively.
It’s unclear why the 2025 report still isn’t out. The report is so much later than usual that some counties, including San Francisco, already released their 2026 count data.
HUD refused to comment.
“It is perplexing that HUD has not released this information,” Tara Gallegos, a spokesperson for Gov. Gavin Newsom, said in a statement to CalMatters. “Perhaps the Trump administration is afraid to release clear data that demonstrates California’s strategies for addressing this issue are actually extremely effective.”
What California's data show
California’s data does point to a reduction in homelessness, suggesting the state’s methods are starting to work. Data provided by the Newsom administration, and echoed by an independent analysis, show a 4% overall decrease between 2024 and 2025, and a 9% drop in people sleeping in tents, on the sidewalk, in cars or in other places not meant for habitation.
That data comes from the 30 California continuums of care that counted their street homeless populations last year. The remaining 14 that counted this year instead (they’re only required to count at least every other year) are not included.
“I think it shows that the headwinds in California continue to be very strong and continue to push more people into homelessness,” said Alex Visotzky, senior California policy fellow for the National Alliance to End Homelessness, “but the investments to build up the response to homelessness have made a really big difference and are moving people out of homelessness faster than ever before.”
That runs counter to President Donald Trump’s platform, which holds California up as an example of failed homelessness policy. California follows a principle called “housing first,” which prioritizes getting people into housing immediately and then addressing their other needs (such as mental health and substance use help). The Trump administration wants to end housing first, which it says isn’t working, and instead withhold housing until people enroll in addiction treatment or other programs.
California also uses most of its federal funds to pay for permanent housing, which experts say is the most effective way to end someone’s homelessness. The Trump administration recently tried to divert that money to temporary shelters where people stay for a limited time.
California's homelessness strategy
California is one of 19 states suing the Trump administration over that change. That case is ongoing, but, in a win for the states, a federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s changes.
A drop in homelessness in California would have a significant impact on the country’s overall homeless population. Nearly a quarter of all unhoused Americans lived in California as of 2024 — a total of more than 187,000 people, according to the most recent HUD report.
The New York Times found homelessness also dropped in other places around the country last year, including Chicago, Denver, Washington, D.C., Minnesota, Florida and Maine, which it found points to a nationwide reduction.
If homelessness dropped nationwide in 2025, it would be the first time in eight years. In 2024, the national count hit 771,480 — an 18% increase from the year before.
