Key points:
- Los Angeles sees consecutive years of homelessness decline.
- Mayor Karen Bass credits her emergency response strategy for progress.
- Inner City Law Center: “Despite a 4% decline in the point-in-time homeless count in Los Angeles County, we still face a homelessness crisis that cannot be resolved without a coordinated and comprehensive prevention system.”
LOS ANGELES, CA – For the first time in its history, the City of Los Angeles has seen two consecutive years of decline in homelessness, according to new data released by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA). The 2025 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count shows a 17.5% reduction in street homelessness since December 2022, when Mayor Karen Bass took office. But while city officials and community leaders are celebrating the progress, advocacy groups caution that the crisis remains severe and systemic change is still urgently needed.
Mayor Bass hailed the data as proof that her administration’s emergency response strategy is working. “Homelessness has gone down two years in a row because we chose to act with urgency and reject the broken status quo,” Bass said. “These results aren’t just data points—they represent thousands of human beings who are now inside, and neighborhoods that are beginning to heal.”
The 2025 count, conducted with the support of the University of Southern California and aligned with federal standards, reported a significant decline in makeshift shelters—tents, cars, vans, and RVs—dropped by 13.5% from the previous year. Permanent housing placements are at an all-time high in the City of Los Angeles.
Central to Bass’ homelessness strategy is the Inside Safe initiative, a citywide effort to bring people indoors from encampments. Since its launch, Inside Safe has resolved more than 100 encampments across every council district. The initiative also accelerates construction of affordable housing, with over 30,000 units in development, and includes an anti-eviction program aimed at preventing new cases of homelessness.
The RAND Corporation’s annual report also reflected Bass’ impact, showing a 49% drop in street homelessness in Hollywood, where Inside Safe has conducted multiple operations. Venice, another site of significant outreach, also saw a decrease.
Councilmember Nithya Raman, who chairs the Council’s Housing and Homelessness Committee, credited the collaborative effort behind the progress. “After another year of hard work to provide housing and bring services to our unhoused population, homelessness is down again in the City of Los Angeles,” she said.
Residents and business leaders echoed the sentiment. “Inside Safe has brought the homeless inside from the streets of our neighborhood,” said Marvin Rostran, a resident near Pico Union. “It has made a major difference.” Hollywood Chamber of Commerce CEO Steve Nissen noted visible improvements in walkability and accessibility, attributing it to Bass’ team. “We are not only reading the latest report…we are literally seeing the difference in Hollywood.”
But not everyone is convinced that the city is on a sustainable path. Inner City Law Center (ICLC), a nonprofit based in Skid Row, responded to the numbers with guarded optimism. “Despite a 4% decline in the point-in-time homeless count in Los Angeles County, we still face a homelessness crisis that cannot be resolved without a coordinated and comprehensive prevention system,” said Adam Murray, ICLC’s CEO.
In a press release, ICLC warned that public investment in interim shelter is only one piece of the puzzle. “The 72,308 people currently experiencing homelessness every night in L.A. make it clear that our region’s response remains inadequate and far from urgent enough,” Murray stated. The organization emphasized the need to invest in upstream solutions, especially eviction prevention, pointing out that it costs roughly $100,000 per year to support one unhoused person—but only $5,000 to provide legal assistance that could prevent homelessness in the first place.
ICLC is also advocating for SB 634, a state bill that would protect service providers and mutual aid groups from being penalized for offering food, water, and basic support to unhoused individuals. “Homelessness is not a problem we can arrest or relocate away,” said Mahdi Manji, ICLC’s Director of Policy. “SB 634 protects the people and organizations who step up to help our homeless neighbors.”
The dual narrative—progress on housing and continued systemic shortcomings—reflects the complexity of Los Angeles’ crisis. Elected officials, including Assemblymembers Tina McKinnor and Mark Gonzalez, praised the city’s momentum but agreed the job isn’t done. “This year’s nearly 10% drop in the number of people living on the streets countywide is more than a statistic—it’s thousands of lives moving toward safety and stability,” Gonzalez said. “But we must keep going.”
State Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas cited the recent allocation of $500 million in the state budget to the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention program, which helped house nearly 20,000 people in L.A. County last year. She stressed the importance of confronting the problem directly and continuing collaborative strategies.
U.S. Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove underscored the need for federal support. “Our federal-and-local partnership is paying off…but the job’s not finished,” she said. “I’ll continue to do everything I can to secure federal resources to move more people indoors and bring down housing costs in L.A.”
Other community leaders, like Roberto Barragan of ICON CDC and Johng Ho Song of the Koreatown Youth and Community Center, credited Bass with restoring public trust and moving quickly to dismantle a long-failed system. “Years of inaction is being addressed with ALL action,” said Barragan. “Focus brings results.”
Yet even the most hopeful officials acknowledged the fragility of the gains. “The data shows a promising trend in our efforts to reduce homelessness, and should encourage policymakers at every level of government to continue to invest,” said Assemblymember Nick Schultz.
For advocates like ICLC, that continued investment must begin with the recognition that homelessness cannot be solved solely through emergency action or shelter expansion. Long-term solutions require legal protections for renters, sustained affordable housing production, and a deep commitment to preventative strategies rooted in justice and compassion.
“Ending homelessness in Los Angeles will require political will, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to justice,” said Murray.
As Mayor Bass doubles down on her pledge to continue the momentum, her administration faces the twin challenge of sustaining the public’s optimism while responding to the concerns of service providers on the ground. The crisis may no longer be escalating, but it is far from over.
