New report finds decline in LA homeless population, leaving some in doubt

The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority Tuesday released the results of its biennial count of homeless people. The report indicates that the number of homeless people in Los Angeles County fell three percent over two years, to 51,340.

“We believe that these declines are largely due to the fact that social service agencies, housing departments and federally-funded programs have effectively helped those who are homeless," Executive Director Michael Arnold said.

Federal funding, in particular, has played a key role. L.A. has received $51 million from the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program.

But not everyone believes homelessness is on the decline in L.A.

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"Calling it a count is not quite accurate," Union Rescue Mission Executive Director Andy Bales said.

Bales said the count, conducted in January across half of the county's census tracks, underestimates the number of homeless people. "It falls short of actually counting everyone who is experiencing homelessness in L.A."

Bales said he's seen no drop in the number of homeless people on Skid Row, where he works.

The report delivered sober news when it comes to homeless veterans. They account for 18% of all homeless people - up from 15%. That's amounts to more than 8,000 people.

Arnold said they occupy two ends of the age spectrum. “We are seeing more that are increasingly over age 62, and we are seeing more who are increasingly between 18 and 24.” That likely means most are either Vietnam War veterans, or vets who served in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Marty Lay, 48, is an Air Force veteran who works at Union Rescue Mission and uses the downtown Veterans Administration clinic.

"It’s packed. I mean it’s jam-packed," Lay said.

A recent A.C.L.U. lawsuit seeks to compel the V.A. to provide more housing and support services to vets at its sprawling West L.A. campus. Blair McMurry, a former Army Ranger who also works at Union Rescue Mission, knows that veterans sometimes need a lot of coaxing to accept help.

“I seen a guy that was holding up sign talking about he was a homeless vet," McMurry said. "I told him about the mission and I told him about the V.A. in Westwood, and he didn’t really want it."

This latest tally of homeless people in L.A. – it does not include Long Beach, Glendale and Burbank – indicates that a third suffer from mental illnesses and a third from substance abuse. It also found that 44 percent are African American, and 28 percent Latino.

Michael Arnold of the L.A. Homeless Services Authority warned that many people remain precariously housed – staying with friends, or barely making their mortgage or rent payments. And the federal money is dwindling.

“Once the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing funding runs out, and if the economy doesn’t improve fairly significantly, we may well see significant increases in our homeless populations.”

One other conclusion from the report: the homeless population in L.A. is aging. Nearly a third of chronic homeless people are at least 55 years old.

That, the report said, will increase public health and other costs unless government agencies and nonprofits commit to offering more help.