Recent data indicates that while the overall number of unhoused individuals in Los Angeles is declining, the situation is markedly different for one specific demographic: older adults.
The population of individuals aged 65 and older facing homelessness has seen a dramatic rise, with a reported increase of over 17% from last year and more than 36% over the past two years, according to the annual point-in-time counts.
Experts suggest that older adults are now the fastest-growing segment among the unhoused population in California.
Simultaneously, many organizations dedicated to serving older adults are facing significant service cutbacks due to budget constraints.
These organizations are also preparing for the backlash of funding cuts stemming from the Trump administration’s decisions on Medicaid.
As a result, many individuals are being turned away from essential services such as free food programs and senior centers.
Before these funding cuts, many seniors already found themselves in precarious situations, struggling to afford necessities.
Yvonne Sun of Special Service for Groups SILVER, a nonprofit organization in Los Angeles, explained that many older adults are caught in a tough spot, often having to choose between essential medications, utility bills, food, or rent.
“The stakes couldn’t be higher,” said Eli Veitzer, chief executive of Jewish Family Service L.A., underscoring the dire consequences of homelessness for older adults.
Funding for community services for older adults typically comes from a mix of grants, fundraising, and federal funding through the Older Americans Act, which aims to enhance social services for elderly populations.
During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, agencies received an influx of approximately $4.6 trillion from the federal government, which allowed many organizations to expand their offerings temporarily.
However, that financial support has since diminished, leading to serious concerns among service providers about the sustainability of critical programs.
On a recent Tuesday morning at a senior center in Reseda, around 100 older individuals gathered to share a meal and social connection.
Mark Schneider, an 82-year-old from Panorama City, shared how vital it is for him to have at least one substantial meal each day through the programs offered at the ONEgeneration center, a resource he depends on rather than relying solely on food banks.
“This community has changed my life,” Schneider stated, noting that engaging with others has helped him overcome his feelings of isolation.
ONEgeneration operates multiple locations across the San Fernando Valley, serving over 6,000 older adults with meals, exercise classes, support groups, and recreational activities such as karaoke.
However, this organization is currently grappling with a funding crisis that could result in service cutbacks.
CEO Jenna Hauss revealed that they might have to close one or two centers by September if alternative funding cannot be secured.
The Homebound Meals program, essential for delivering hot meals to vulnerable older adults who are homebound due to physical or cognitive impairments, is particularly at risk.
Hauss estimated that around 30% of this program could be eliminated in the area, affecting approximately 100 older adults who depend on these meal deliveries.
In one heartbreaking instance, the organization had to deny services to a 101-year-old woman due to reaching capacity limits.
“We have to cancel people,” Hauss lamented. “It’s awful.”
Corrin Nagasaka, another participant in the program, emphasized the importance of the meal deliveries, noting that the interaction they provide can be just as vital as the food itself.
“A conversation or a simple touch might be the only social contact some of these individuals get for an entire week,” Nagasaka shared.
Looking at the broader picture of funding, the recent legislation signed into law by President Donald Trump, often referred to as the “Big, Beautiful Bill,” includes significant budgetary cuts, including around $1 trillion to Medicaid over the next decade.
Veitzer expressed concerns that these cuts would have a profoundly detrimental effect on the services provided to older adults by organizations like Jewish Family Service L.A.
Potential changes to critical programs such as the Assisted Living Waiver Program and the Multi-Purpose Senior Services Program could impact countless older Angelenos.
Apart from federal cuts, local funding decisions are also worrisome, particularly with Mayor Karen Bass’s recent $13 billion city budget, which included severe cuts for older adult services.
The restructuring of the Department of Aging into a larger department combining economic, workforce, and youth services has raised alarms among service providers who fear older adults may be overlooked in the reorganization.
With nearly a quarter of Los Angeles’s population being 65 years or older, the increase in homelessness among this age group—from 3,427 in 2023 to 4,680 in 2025—signals a concerning trend.
In L.A. County, chronic homelessness among individuals aged 65 and older has risen nearly 8.6% since the previous year.
While Measure A, which raised the sales tax to fund homelessness programs, was passed by voters in November, less than 1% of the budget is earmarked specifically for older adults in homelessness services, accounting for merely $5 million out of over $637 million allocated for the fiscal year.
Veitzer pointed out the economic efficiency of preventing homelessness.
“For older adults, the consequences are more dire,” he concluded, emphasizing the urgent need for adequate resources before they slip into homelessness.
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