Homeless Capital
Homelessness and poverty are insidious issues that eat away at the fabric of our community. This country we proudly call home has the highest population of homeless persons of any first-world nation, and we live in a city that is known not only as the “City of Angeles” but also as the “Homeless Capital of the Country”. From glamorous celebrities living in hillside mansions to the poorest individuals who sleep under tattered blankets on the cold sidewalk, Los Angeles is a city of extremes.
In fact, there are nearly 48,000 homeless people throughout Los Angeles County on any given night.
Of the staggering number of homeless people in our city, approximately:
- 83% are homeless because there is not enough low-income housing and too few shelters exist
- 84% were already living in Los Angeles when they became homeless
- 74% are experiencing a disabling condition
Disabling conditions include: depression; mental illness; substance abuse; physical disabilities, AIDS/HIV related illnesses, Post-Traumatic Stress disorder and other chronic health issues. (Homeless individuals may have one or multiple disabling conditions concurrently, which is reflected in the aforementioned percentages). - 93% are unemployed, with over half receiving $350 or less from government assistance or other sources
- 48% used the hospital emergency room as their primary source of healthcare since they had no other access to medical services
- 11% became homeless due to domestic violence or abuse
- 34% were the victim of a crime after becoming homeless
The highest concentration (over 5,000) of homeless persons in Los Angeles is in Skid Row, a 52 city block area of downtown, also known as Central City East.
Note: The statistics listed were gathered from the 2007 Homeless Count, conducted and compiled by the Los Angeles Housing Services Authority (LAHSA)
