Area's progress on homelessness at risk

L.A. County has 14% fewer living on streets than 2 years ago, but funding cuts loom.

- BY ANDREW KHOURI

GENARO MOLINA Los Angeles Times

HOMELESS services face cuts. Vancie Davis, 73, shown in July, lives in her car in Venice with her dog, Heart.

There's a long way to go, but the Los Angeles area appears to be making progress in its fight against homelessness.

In the city, data show homeless people are moving into new permanent supportive housing faster. Countywide, there were 14% fewer people living on the streets than two years earlier, according to the 2025 count.

Future progress could be much tougher, due in large part to a slowing economy that is reducing funding for homeless services and programs.

"Homelessness is an issue that responds well to strategic investment over time," said John Maceri, chief executive of the nonprofit the People Concern. "And what we are seeing now is we are digressing."

The current funding picture comes after years of increased public investment that officials have attributed to recent declines in homelessness. And surprisingly, it comes nearly a year after L.A. County residents voted to significantly increase their contribution to the cause.

In November, voters approved Measure A, a half-cent tax to fight homelessness, which was an increase from the previous quarter-cent levy.

But much of the additional tax hike is dedicated to building affordable housing, which takes time, while the sales tax percentage flowing to the county for core homeless services has remained largely the same.