The Brief

L.A.’s homelessness agency revised the locations of over 400 sheltered people in its 2025 homeless count — moving them out of the city of L.A. — in the days before the public release of the findings this week. The moves were made without informing elected officials who had seen the earlier numbers.

On July 7, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority told local elected officials and their aides that overall homelessness had declined by 2.5% within the city of L.A. This week, the agency publicly touted a slightly larger 3.4% reduction in the city.

The changes — which revised the city’s count down by 437 people — were not disclosed to elected officials when LAHSA provided the updated numbers Monday morning ahead of their public release that afternoon.

Following questions from LAist, LAHSA said it acknowledged and explained the changes to city elected officials on Tuesday, the day after the count’s public release. Representatives of several L.A. City Council offices told LAist they are asking LAHSA for more information about the revisions.

LAHSA gathered the data used in the estimate in February, as part of a tally mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD.

LAHSA officials said the last-minute revisions were made because the agency discovered that several hundred interim housing units had been incorrectly tagged as being in the city of L.A. by LAHSA’s new housing inventory system, agency spokesperson Ahmad Chapman told LAist. He pointed to HUD’s rules requiring that so-called scattered site beds be tagged as all being in the city where most of the beds in a given project are located.

The issue was fixed after LAHSA briefed council members and staffers on July 7 and before the data was released publicly this week, the agency said. But the homelessness agency did not inform the city’s elected officials until after LAist asked about the revisions.

L.A. Councilmember Monica Rodriguez told LAist that LAHSA should have been more transparent about the changes and that information was withheld by the agency. She said the revisions were made after LAHSA had delayed the briefing for elected officials multiple times.

LAHSA representatives declined to respond to that accusation.

“I don’t think that the outcomes reflect a moment of celebration because it’s unclear to me how real these numbers really are,” Rodriguez added.

"Any changes made to the numbers, the public is entitled to know because these are their taxpayer dollars that are being used for this work.”

A spokesperson for Mayor Karen Bass told LAist the mayor was first provided the updated numbers on Thursday, July 10, a few days after LAHSA's initial briefing to public officials. That’s when the mayor received an updated draft slide deck indicating the updated numbers, the spokesperson said.

The changes made by LAHSA, which happened after when city officials were briefed on the results of a yearly homelessness count, have led elected officials to raise questions about the report's accuracy.

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What changed?

These revisions did not alter the total population estimates across L.A. County, but the overall homeless population estimate for the city of L.A. was revised down to 43,699, from 44,136.

That downward revision consisted of a 475-person reduction to the city’s sheltered count and a 38-person increase in the city’s unsheltered estimate.

While past year’s shelter counts publicly list the service provider names for each shelter site, LAHSA declined LAist’s requests to identify which shelter locations they revised. The agency said the issue was with multi-site or “scattered site” programs with housing units across multiple jurisdictions.

In response to LAist’s question about which shelter spots had their locations revised, LAHSA officials said: “The most important thing is that LAHSA identified the misassignment in the draft data and corrected it before the results were finalized and announced.”

Regarding the revision increasing the city’s unsheltered estimate by 38 people, the presentation to officials and their staffs on July 7 provided a city unsheltered number that was from an earlier set of draft data that was supposed to be updated before the briefing, LAHSA officials told LAist.

LAHSA communication

When LAHSA presented its findings to officials July 7, the agency told them the information was subject to change but that any “possible changes would not be expected to change the overall narrative of the Homeless Count," Chapman said in LAHSA’s written response to LAist’s questions.

After that meeting, LAHSA said it discovered that the way it was tagging cities for multi-site or scattered housing programs did not follow HUD’s geographic coding specifications.

LAHSA said it then adjusted the official addresses accordingly and submitted the information to USC School of Social Work to recalculate the results.

(The agency did not answer how it discovered the issue. HUD’s geographic coding specifications for scattered sites did not change from 2024 to 2025, according to the federal agency’s records.)

USC’s Ben Henwood, an expert on housing and homelessness, told LAist that LAHSA informed him last week that some shelter data had been misclassified and required updating. He said that kind of change is not uncommon.

“The annual count is an intensive process conducted in a compressed period of time, so it is not unusual for us to have to rerun our estimates during this process as we work closely with LAHSA,” Henwood said.

In arriving at the final estimate for the region’s overall homeless population, USC combines estimates of the unsheltered count conducted by volunteers from February and the count of people living inside shelters and other interim housing sites on the same nights. The sheltered portion of the count does not rely on volunteers, but is reported to LAHSA by the shelter providers and is considered an exact count of people.

A spokesperson for L.A. Mayor Karen Bass did not respond to questions about the changes.

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On Monday, when the agency publicly announced slightly lower homeless population numbers in the city of L.A. than they had a week prior, LAist asked LAHSA for an explanation of any changes to the main numbers since the briefing of officials.

“There were no significant differences in the data that was shared,” LAHSA’s deputy chief external relations officer Paul Rubenstein responded, as Bass stood nearby.

“The topline numbers were the same.”

Further reporting from LAist found that LAHSA’s top bullet point of numbers had been revised from a 2.5% drop in the city count to a 3.4% drop.

Chapman later told LAist that Rubenstein had been referring to the overall countywide point-in-time results and associated percent decrease, which stayed the same.

On Tuesday, LAHSA first informed public officials of the revisions via email, with the following message:

“You might see slight differences in the Council District, Supervisorial District, and SPA sheltered counts compared to last week’s draft. The data collected did not change, but we corrected some interim housing locations. This happened because our new inventory system initially misassigned some locations for multi/scattered-site programs, which required updates due to HUD’s rules for reporting these types of sites. We identified and accounted for this issue prior to the public release on July 14 by ensuring all programs were accurately assigned, using last year’s address for consistency when appropriate. We’ll refine this mapping for next year’s Housing Inventory Count to comply with HUD’s requirements while also addressing our need for precise local mapping of locations.”

LAHSA says its annual homeless count was conducted in accordance with HUD regulations and the official data released at Monday’s news conference met HUD’s standard.

HUD did not respond to LAist’s request for comment.

Count concerns

Several City Council members and their aides told LAist that slight revisions to the count sometimes happen after their offices are briefed but that LAHSA typically informs them of these changes.

Meanwhile, Councilmember John Lee is raising concerns about the sheltered counts provided in his district. Lee said he’s worked to bring 371 shelter beds online in his San Fernando Valley district and believes they are typically occupied. However, he says data shared with his office last week indicated just 78 of those beds were being used, while the rest sat empty.

“Based on district-specific PIT count data we have received from LAHSA, we have questions regarding the sheltered count: how 'sheltered' is defined and how the data is collected and verified,” said Roger Quintanilla, Lee’s communications director. “Our office continues to seek clarity from LAHSA in order to better understand how they arrived at these figures.”

Asked by LAist about Lee’s concerns, LAHSA officials did not provide an explanation but said they would follow up with Lee.

The agency said it will be releasing more information from the 2025 homeless count this week. That is expected to include breakdowns of the raw homeless count by council district, as well as demographic information about the region’s unhoused population.

Bandfest is an opportunity to see marching bands from around the country — and Mexico and Japan — before their 2026 Rose Parade performance.

“This is the granddaddy of them all,” Tournament of Roses Honor Band Director Peter Huerta said of playing in the parade. “It is viewed all around the world. Everybody is watching you. Every little detail has to be perfect.”

Adriana Del Toro lined up outside Pasadena City College’s Robinson Stadium on Monday to watch her niece play the trumpet in the Los Angeles Unified School District All-District High School Honor Band.

“I'm living my childhood dream through her,” Del Toro said. ”When I was in high school, I always wanted to try out for a band, but I never did it because I was too shy. So I told her, as long as I can, I'm going to be here and support her.”

Some performances incorporated the 2026 Rose Parade theme, “The Magic in Teamwork.”

For example, the Tournament of Roses Honor Band’s performance includes the Beatles’ “With a Little Help From My Friends” and High School Musical’s “We’re All in This Together.”

The Pasadena City College marching band and musicians from 62 local high schools make up the ensemble.

The 250-member Tournament of Roses Honor Band includes the Pasadena City College marching band and musicians from 62 local high schools.

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Drum Major Orlando Garcia said the teamwork theme makes him remember the smoky skies and power outages that followed January’s wildfires.

“We can come together and make great music,” Garcia said of his bandmates, students from Pasadena City College and local high schools. “Just as we always come together and get through everything.”

The Rose Parade is right around the corner, and thousands of people are already preparing to flock to Pasadena for the New Year’s Day festivities.

In its 137th year, the parade theme is “The Magic in Teamwork,” with Laker icon Earvin "Magic" Johnson as the Grand Marshal. It kicks off at 8 a.m.

Whether you’ll be camping out the night before, or heading over with blankets in tow in the early morning hours, keep in mind that the weather is currently forecast to be rainy. Yes, that's rare. If it does pour on the parade it will be the first time in 20 years and before that it had been 50 years since the last rainy parade day.

Here’s what you need to know this year.

Parade details and closures

The Rose Parade route lasts two hours, with its 5.5-mile journey starting at Green Street and Orange Grove Boulevard.

The floats, bands, and horses will head north along Orange Grove at a slow but steady 2.5 mph pace before turning east onto Colorado Boulevard for a majority of the show. It’ll then head north onto Sierra Madre Boulevard, wrapping up at Villa Street.

Police and city officials will start closing off part of the route to cars as early as 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 31, through 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 1.

That includes Colorado Boulevard from Orange Grove Boulevard to Sierra Madre Boulevard, and Sierra Madre Boulevard to Paloma Street. So if you’ll be hosting viewing parties or are overdue for a delivery, Tournament of Roses officials recommend telling everyone to arrive before the closures kick in Wednesday night.

Unless you have a need to be in the area during the parade, you might want to avoid this stretch of the city until it's all over.

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If you’ll need to drive to or through the downtown Pasadena area, you can use:

• Walnut Street or the 210 Freeway for east-west travel north of Colorado Boulevard
• Del Mar Boulevard or Cordova Street for east-west travel south of Colorado Boulevard
• There will be limited crossing for north-south travel during the closure (see map for details)

Please note: There will be a 5K race at midnight to celebrate the New Year from Pasadena Avenue to Hill Street. Several intersections will close to cross traffic at 11 p.m. Dec. 31 and re-open at the end of the race event at about 2 a.m., including Pasadena, Fair Oaks, and Marengo avenues (see full list on map.)

Tickets

You can still snag grandstand tickets — we found ones from $80 to $130, depending on where you want to sit. You’ll need to have your ticket handy.

The Rose Parade of 2022 represented a long-awaited return to Pasadena's New Year’s tradition.

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The parade is scheduled to begin promptly at 8 a.m. Organizers recommend that ticketholders aim to be seated by 7 a.m. In order to do that, you should plan to arrive in the area by at least 6 a.m. to give yourself plenty of time to work through the crowds and traffic.

Note that there is a "clear bags only" policy in place for grandstand seating at the Rose Parade, the Rose Bowl game and several other events. You can find details here.

Curbside seating and camping

Curbside seating is free, and lots of people will set up shop and camp overnight, which is only allowed on Dec. 31. If you’ll be bringing your kids or teens along, they need to be with an adult during the overnight hours.

There are plenty of ways to enjoy the parade without paying for seating. You just need to plan. And plan to arrive early!

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You can grab your sidewalk spot starting at noon Dec. 31, but all your blankets and chairs have to stay on the curb until 11 p.m., at which point you’ll be able to move up a bit closer to the blue “honor-line.” Tents, sofas, unoccupied chairs, and boxes that can be used as stools or seats are not allowed along the route.

You can warm up with a small elevated barbecue, but it needs to be away from buildings and you have to have a fire extinguisher available. Bonfires and fireworks are banned, period.

Most importantly, don’t forget to drink water and dress for cool temps and the possibility of rain. (You can always sit on that extra jacket).

Given the weather conditions, it's important to note that the rules call for no umbrellas. The City of Pasadena advisers parade goers to use rain jackets and ponchos, which they optimistically describe as "a great alternative so everyone can enjoy the show!"

Pasadena city officials are reminding people than umbrellas are not allowed along the Rose Parade route ahead of a forecast of rain on the parade for the first time in 20 years.

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LAist's Sharon McNary, a longtime Pasadena resident who has offered great tips on making the most of the parade in the past, points out this might be a very popular year for what she calls "The People’s Grandstand.”

That said, Sharon notes "it’s kind of a locals-only institution. Fans create their own little wooden seats that fit nicely into the notches in the stones lining the sloped wall of the 210 Freeway overpass over Sierra Madre Blvd. In the rare rainy year, they have shelter, and in the more typical warm years, they have shade. And they get to view the spectacle of the taller floats folding themselves down to fit under the overpass and opening back up on the other side."

Local craftspeople make small wooden seats that fit in the mortar notches in the sloped wall under a the 210 Freeway overpass at Sierra Madre Blvd.

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Parking

There is no parking allowed on the parade route, but you can purchase reserved spots. Pasadena recommendations include Sharp Seating, the city itself, and LAZ Parking. Parking at Metro rail stations are another option you can check on before you head out.

Authorities urge that you pay for parking in advance to guarantee your spot. Otherwise, parking is on a first-come, first-served basis and of course that supply is limited.

Once again: Arriving extra early is your best bet so you can avoid the traffic hassles and any unintended GPS glitches. Authorities warn: "Please do not rely upon your GPS as road closures will be in effect and may not reflect on the GPS application."

The last time it rained, in 2006, the bleachers were far less packed than usual.

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All parking meters are free and time limits will not be enforced on New Year’s Day, and overnight parking restrictions will not be enforced until 2 a.m. Jan. 4, according to the city. But keep an eye out for red curbs, “No Parking” signs, fire hydrants, and driveways, as the usual restrictions still apply. You don't want to risk getting your vehicle towed.

Public transportation

Where possible, public transit might be your easiest way to go, and Metrolink will be offering special early morning hours on the San Bernardino, Antelope Valley, Orange County, Ventura County, and 91 Perris Valley lines for the parade. (Note that Metrolink’s Riverside County Line is not running on New Year’s Day.)

From the Metro website: "On New Year’s Eve and early New Year’s Day (Dec. 31 to Jan. 1), we’ll be running service all night on the A, B, D and E Lines with additional early morning service to help get you to Pasadena on time for the parade, which begins at 8 a.m. sharp." Metro will also have buses traveling to areas near the route and Rose Bowl game.

You can find more information here.

These are the A Line stations in Pasadena that closest to the parade: 

• Del Mar Station (walk .3 miles north to the parade route)
• Memorial Park Station (walk .2 miles south)
• Lake Station (walk .4 miles south)
• Allen Station (walk .4 miles south)

Metro will also have buses traveling to areas near the route and Rose Bowl game, which you can find more information on here

Metro is offering free fares on buses, trains, Metro Bike Share and Metro Micro from 4 a.m. Dec. 31 until 3 a.m. Jan. 1. For Metro Bike Share, use code 123125 on New Year’s Eve. For Metro Micro riders, use promo code RING26.

Accessible viewing

Three street-level viewing areas are reserved for people with disabilities and up to four of their guests.

Each of those areas along the parade route will have a section with audio descriptions for visually impaired people and another with sign language interpreters.

Diane Gagnon among Rose Parade floats on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.

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Tickets to all these viewing areas are free! But to request space, you’ll need to complete a form. The 2026 form is already marked closed, but for future planning, here is the Jan. 1, 2027 form.

Please note: no seats are provided, so you’ll need to bring your own arrangements.

There’s also limited wheelchair accessible grandstand seating sold through Sharp Seating.

Rose Bowl game

The Rose Bowl game, the oldest of bowls dating back to 1902, immediately follows the parade. The Rose Bowl Stadium parking lot opens at 4 a.m. Jan. 1 and the stadium gates open at 10:30 a.m. The game starts at 1 p.m.

A quick scan turned up tickets that are still available for the Indiana vs. Alabama matchup for a little as $130.90 and as much as $2,683.13.

General parking is available in certain lots at the stadium, with spots going for $69 that you buy it in advance.

For public transportation, you can take the Metro A line and exit at the Memorial Park station. You can find more information here about getting to the stadium.

Please note: the stadium has a clear-bag policy, which means backpacks, purses, and camera cases are not allowed.

If you want more info

If you’re dying for more details, you can download the official Rose Parade app here or here. You’ll be able to see the full line-up, maps, and get more information about the participants.

If you skimmed over the rules and your car gets towed on New Year’s Day, you can call (626) 577-6426 from 5 p.m. Dec. 31 until 6 p.m. Jan. 1.

And if you still have questions that have not been answered here, you can try the visitor hotline at (877) 793-9911.

L.A. shoppers could see an additional 0.5% sales tax that would help fund the Los Angeles Fire Department.

A petition to get the sales tax on next year’s General Election ballot was approved by the City Clerk on Dec. 26 for signature gathering.

If approved by voters, the money gathered from the tax would help pay for hiring firefighters, equipment, facility upgrades and more. The ordinance would be to “supplement, not replace,” the department’s current funding, according to the ordinance.

In a statement, the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City said the LAFD is half the size needed to keep LA safe.

"Due to decades of underinvestment, our fire department currently operates with the same number of firefighters as in the 1960s, six fewer stations, and five times the call load,” the union representing the city’s firefighters said.

What we know

The petition must gather more than 139,000 petition signatures by mid-April for the initiative to be on the upcoming November ballot.

If voters approve the ordinance, the funds generated by the tax would be kept in a separate account. It would also require annual audits and a citizens’ oversight committee to monitor spending.

More on the fire department’s needs

An LAist report found the department is one of the smallest for a big city in the U.S.

According to the department, there are 106 fire stations — six fewer than in the 1960s — and 3,412 sworn firefighters — only 33 more than in 1965.

In 2024, the International Association of Fire Fighters conducted a “Standards of Cover” report on the LAFD. It found that the department had overwhelming needs, according to the union.

The report concluded that for L.A.’s current population, LAFD should have 7,360 firefighters – 4,000 more than its current force. It also identified that the department needs 52 new fire stations, dozens of new dispatchers, EMS stations and more.

What about the city's budget?

In June, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass signed a $13 billion budget that included cuts to LAFD's street medicine teams. The department's budget is $76 million —higher than last year's to allow fire officials to hire more firefighters and buy new fire trucks. The 9% increase in the fire budget is the highest among departments.