Los Angeles unhoused population reaches 75,000 amid humanitarian crisis

Annual government count shows 9% increase, sharper than last year’s 4%, in country’s most populous county

The unhoused population of Los Angeles has grown by 9%, with more than 75,000 people now experiencing homelessness across the county, according to data from the government’s annual count, released on Thursday.

The Los Angeles homeless services authority (Lahsa) report suggests that there was a sharper increase in homelessness this year compared with last year, when the agency estimated a 4% rise in the population. The agency count includes people living on the street and people in shelters.