Community Corner

L.A.'s Homeless Population Surges, Bucks National Trend

High housing costs are to blame for the rise in homelessness in the L.A county, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

A jump in the number of L.A. County residents who became homeless in the last two years defied the national trend of a modest decline in the overall homeless population, it was reported Friday.

Los Angeles County's homeless population rose 15 percent from 2011 to 2013, to  57,737, a total second only to New York City, the Los Angeles Times reported. By contrast, the number of homeless Americans declined 6 percent since 2010, to 610,042, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Even sharper reductions — of 16 percent and 24 percent respectively — were recorded for people homeless more than a year and for homeless veterans, officials said in remarks reported by The Times. HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan said the progress, however, was imperiled by federal cutbacks, including a 5 percent reduction in federal funds for homeless programs starting Friday.

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The estimates released Thursday were based on a one-night count conducted in January by 3,000 cities and counties across the nation. The Obama administration has promised to end homelessness among veterans and chronic homelessness by 2016.

The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority said earlier this year that the county's homeless population had climbed 16 percent from 2011 to 2013. The slightly lower HUD figure is correct, a spokesman for the local agency said.

Find out what's happening in Pacific Palisadeswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The numbers in New York City, the nation's homeless capital, climbed 25 percent — from 51,123 to 64,060, between 2011 and 2013. Donovan blamed the increases in Los Angeles and New York City, which together account for 20 percent of the nation's homeless population, on high housing costs.

City News Service



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