Behind The Numbers: Long Beach Announces First Drop In Unhoused Population Since 2017

Long Beach is announcing its first decrease in homelessness since 2017. The city released its 2024 point-in-time count report on the city’s unhoused population on Wednesday.

The decline is small: just 2.1% overall, the difference between 3,376 people identified as experiencing homelessness in January 2024 versus 3,447 people a year earlier. But city officials are crediting a variety of efforts, including increased outreach, a year-round shelter that opened in June 2023, a mobile access center, and rental and income assistance programs. The city declared homelessness as a local emergency early last year.

“These numbers let us know we are on the right track and must continue on in the work,” Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson said in an emailed statement.

This year’s count was conducted in the early morning of Jan. 25 with more than 300 volunteers, according to the city. More than half of those counted, 53%, said this was their first episode of homelessness. About a third of those counted were living in vehicles.

City spokeswoman Jennifer Rice Epstein said she believes the decrease is not solely due to people moving elsewhere.

”People do obviously move along on their own,” she said, “but I really do think it is a result of all of the efforts from the people who are working with people experiencing homelessness.”

Orange County also released their 2024 point-in-time report on Wednesday, which saw the number of unhoused people living on the streets grow to over 30% since 2022. Los Angeles County is expected to release their report in June.

Fewer unhoused younger and over-55 people reported

The newly released Long Beach count shows a drop in younger and older unhoused populations, including a 49% drop for people 18-24, a 37% drop for minors under 18, a 9.4% drop for people 55-64 and a small drop of 3% for seniors over 65.

However, homelessness continued to increase for people 35-44 and 45-54, by 11% and 6.2% respectively.

Fewer women were reported as unhoused this year. Increases of close to 40% were noted for transgender and “gender nonconforming” people, however this is partly due to different accounting methods, Epstein said.

This year’s count also noted a smaller Latino and Asian/Pacific Islander unhoused population. The Black unhoused population remained stable, while the white unhoused population grew, and the city’s small Native American/Alaska Native unhoused population nearly doubled.

The number of homeless veterans increased slightly, although the city says fewer of them are unsheltered, and that new developments will house an additional 78 veterans “ in the coming months.”

Long Beach declared a local emergency on homelessness in January 2023 after logging a staggering 62% increase in its unhoused population the previous year.

The city has also struggled with numerous deaths of unhoused people, in particular residents at a converted hotel that drew scrutiny. City spokesperson Epstein said many of those who died there were older and died from natural causes, and that the shelter is being converted to permanent housing and under new operation.

A list of solutions

According to a city statement, the emergency declaration put in place a number of programs and policies aimed at short-term and long-term solutions: Long Beach homeless services staff increased its outreach; the city launched a text information line for English and Spanish speakers; with L.A. County, the city bought and opened a year-round 85-bed shelter last June.

A “mobile access center” with relief services on wheels was launched in January of last year, with a second added last summer, Epstein said. There has also been a push to expand rental assistance and more temporary housing projects in the works.

The city also launched a guaranteed income program in May 2023, providing $500 a month for 12 months to 250 households. It was extended in January 2024 to include 200 more low-income households with children.

City leaders ended the emergency this February, at the same time voting to accept and apply for more state grant money for homelessness initiatives.