A recent yearlong study by the RAND Corporation has revealed a notable decline in the number of unsheltered residents in Los Angeles, but highlights that those remaining in homelessness may present new challenges in terms of housing engagement.
The research focused on unsheltered populations in areas such as Skid Row, Hollywood, and Venice during 2024. It reported a 15% decrease in the overall unhoused count compared to the previous year, a change attributed mainly to increased access to interim and permanent housing through government initiatives.
Despite the positive trend, RAND researchers noted that ‘rough sleeping’—defined as living without any form of shelter, including tents or vehicles—has not seen significant improvement. This group now represents approximately 40% of the total unsheltered population in the studied areas.
In specific areas, like Hollywood and Venice, a reduction of nearly 700 unsheltered individuals was documented, while Skid Row experienced a counterbalance with a 170-person increase, marking a 9% rise in its unsheltered homeless count. Hollywood’s decline of 49% and Venice’s 22% drop stand as significant successes amidst the mixed data.
According to Louis Abramson, the study’s lead author, the findings highlight a ‘meaningful progress’ in reducing unhoused populations compared to previous years. Yet, he cautioned that the individuals who remain in this situation may be more challenging to engage and assist in moving into housing solutions.
Abramson emphasized the necessity for new policies to ensure that the progress made in 2024 can be sustained and built upon, suggesting a future requiring different strategies than those currently in place.
The RAND study marks the largest enumeration of unhoused individuals in Los Angeles, outside of the city-county’s annual point-in-time count, which relies heavily on trained volunteer teams conducting surveys during several evenings every January.
During the previous year, RAND survey teams conducted counts every two months within the selected neighborhoods, collecting data from 463 unsheltered individuals from July to October.
Research findings indicated that many participants reported shorter durations of stay in the same locations compared to earlier years. This trend is consistent with the discontinuation of ‘shelter in place’ orders and an increase in efforts aimed at sanitation and encampment resolution. These clean-up initiatives, while moving some unsheltered individuals indoors, also lead to significant displacement.
The overall reduction in unsheltered homelessness has largely resulted from a decline in tents and makeshift shelters, which has resulted in a more transient, mobile population. RAND pointed out that the prevalence of rough sleeping has reached record highs, with 42% of unsheltered individuals in the study’s areas reporting they lived without any shelter in December 2023.
As a result of this transition away from dense encampments, outreach teams may face increased challenges, with additional resources needed to cover larger areas to engage with the same number of individuals. Sarah B. Hunter, the study’s co-author, noted that the growing population of individuals exposed to the elements will likely increase their overall needs.
Interest in housing among the unhoused remains high, with 91% of survey respondents expressing a desire to transition out of homelessness. However, just 38% indicated that they were on a waitlist for housing assistance, a concerning statistic for service providers and policymakers.
Notably, the demographic landscape of Hollywood’s homeless population saw significant changes in 2024, with the proportion of Black survey participants decreasing from 50% to 26%, while the shares of white and Hispanic individuals rose. The demographic composition remains notably diverse in Hollywood and Venice, where about half of the populations are now white, contrasting with Skid Row, where two-thirds of the unhoused population is still Black.
Moreover, survey results indicated that respondents were more likely to report receiving income or benefits compared to previous years. However, health issues appeared to be increasing, particularly in Hollywood, where respondents reported higher instances of incarceration and lower access to services like safe sex education and housing assistance.
In Venice, the homeless population reported marginally better education levels, a higher likelihood of receiving Social Security and disability benefits, and a stronger employment presence compared to the other neighborhoods.
Interestingly, while Venice residents were least likely to have previously been offered housing or shelter—only 51% reported such offers—they were also the most willing to accept housing when it was presented. Supportive housing offers were low across the three areas at only 13%, though group shelter options had a higher acceptance rate at 39%.
Lastly, the study noted an observable turnover in Skid Row’s unsheltered population, characterized by a decrease in the average age of residents and a shorter timeline spent on the streets. The findings underline the unique dynamics of each neighborhood with respect to homelessness, as Skid Row continues to trend older, female, and predominantly Black, with higher reports of mental health, physical health, and substance use disorders.
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