(The Center Square) – Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass touted the success of her homelessness efforts, citing her moving of 8,866 homeless Angelenos into permanent free housing thus far in 2024. The city says it funds 29,554 vouchers for permanent supportive housing for homeless individuals and families, with $2,407 vouchers for one-bedroom apartments.
“The old ways of managing the crisis instead of solving it are over,” said Bass in a statement. “We are turning the page to make lasting change. You can see the results with more people inside, more clear sidewalks, and new, innovative housing.”
At the start of 2024, the City of Los Angeles estimated it was home to 45,252 homeless individuals, including 29,275 unsheltered homeless and 15,977 sheltered homeless (who are still homeless but have a place to sleep indoors). That was an annual decline of 2.2% overall, including a 10.4% decrease in unsheltered homeless, and 17.7% increase in sheltered homeless, meaning most of the decrease in unsheltered homelessness was from giving individuals a place to sleep at night…