Los Angeles homelessness count rises 3.4% amid mayoral race

The 2026 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count reported that citywide homelessness increased 3.4% to roughly 45,194 people, while the unsheltered population grew about 7.9% (nearly 8%). Countywide figures rose 1.2% to an estimated 73,040 unhoused residents. The increase ends two consecutive years of decline and comes as Mayor Karen Bass seeks a second term in the November 3 election.

Bass attributed the rise to federal and state funding cuts, citing a 50% reduction in the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) program that cost Los Angeles $70 million, and blaming the Trump administration for higher gas, grocery and rent costs. She said, “The Trump Administration has driven up the cost of gas, groceries, and rent — pushing more families to the edge — and slashed critical safety‑net funding.”

Challenger City Councilmember Nithya Raman responded that the surge reflects a failure of leadership, noting an 8% jump in street homelessness and calling it “a moral outrage.” Both candidates highlighted the city’s roughly $1 billion annual homelessness budget and the county’s new department of homelessness, while critics point to $3 billion spent by city and county combined with limited long‑term results. The count’s findings are expected to shape the upcoming mayoral campaign and ongoing debates over funding and policy effectiveness.