LOS ANGELES — In a bit of welcome news that was immediately met with skepticism, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority reported last summer that homelessness appeared to be leveling off.
After climbing nearly 23% in two years, the county's street population grew only an additional 5% during two years of pandemic, the 2022 point-in-time count found, deflecting worries that economic stress would drive large numbers of people from their homes.
Most surprisingly, LAHSA found significant decreases in three communities widely identified as hot spots of homelessness: skid row, Hollywood and Venice.
