Thousands of volunteers participated in the 2022 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count, the three-day annual census of people experiencing homelessness that resumed on February 22-24, 2022 after a one-year hiatus due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) Executive Director Heidi Marston kicked off the event, stating, “Thousands of volunteers will spread out across the county to participate in the Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count. The data from this year’s Count will help us understand who our unhoused neighbors are, their needs, and the programs we need to continue to build to support them getting rehoused.”
Marston continued by calling for all stakeholders to stay committed to addressing homelessness in Los Angeles County, “Homelessness is a humanitarian crisis and truly addressing it means that all of us need to commit to the same unprecedented coordination that we brought during the pandemic. We can do that by working together to strengthen our social safety net systems and by remaining steadfast in creating the hundreds of thousands of affordable homes necessary to meet LA County’s needs.”
Since 2016, the Los Angeles Continuum of Care, overseen by LAHSA, has conducted an unsheltered street count annually to understand homelessness across the county better. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires conducting a count every other year.
“Over the next three days, thousands of dedicated volunteers will hit the streets of Los Angeles County to gather data that will drive our efforts to bring our unsheltered neighbors indoors,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti. “This is a significant Homeless Count — not only is it the first since the pandemic began, but it is how we will wrap our arms around the impacts of COVID-19 and both marshal resources and build momentum to quickly roll out the services, support, and housing that people need and deserve.”
Given the size of Los Angeles County, volunteers will spend three nights counting in different parts of the region:
- February 22, 2022: San Gabriel and San Fernando Valleys
- February 23, 2022: West Los Angeles, Southeast Los Angeles, & the South Bay
- February 24, 2022: Antelope Valley, Metro Los Angeles, and South Los Angeles
Homeless count deployment sites will utilize different COVID-19 precautions, including outdoor distribution of materials, requiring all volunteers and staff to wear masks, directing participants to maintain social distance, and making personal protective equipment (PPE) accessible to all participants.
LA County Board of Supervisors Chair Holly J. Mitchell said, “After a year of hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Point-in-Time Homeless count is urgently needed to help provide a clear assessment of where we have made gains and still have work to do in getting our fellow Angelenos the services and housing they need. I want to thank the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority and the thousands of volunteers helping to capture the reality of this crisis. A shared commitment to counting our unhoused residents helps inform the necessary policy and funding actions we must take to prevent and stop the inflow of residents experiencing homelessness.”
LA County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl added, “This year’s count carries a sense of special anticipation because we haven’t been able to conduct one for the last two years. In addition, the visibility of street homelessness has brought a pervasive sense that we have lost ground. I know everyone is frustrated that we haven’t found enough housing for all those who have lost theirs, but thanks to all the great Homeless Count volunteers, we will soon have a more accurate measure to help us. Regardless of what we discover, we will always strive to do more, and do better.”