Chaparral 2024-2025: Local Changes: Homelessness in Los Angles

New Stories to Follow

California Passed a Law to Fix Unsafe Homeless Shelters. Cities and Counties Are Ignoring It

Now that the Supreme Court has granted cities more power to ban sleeping outside, homeless Californians face a crucial decision: Try to get into a shelter, or risk going to jail. Those able to find a shelter bed will step into a world rife with reports of violence, theft, health hazards — and a lack of accountability. Public records obtained by CalMatters show that most cities and counties have seemingly ignored a recent state law that aimed to reform dangerous conditions in shelters. 

California governor vows to take away funding from cities and counties for not clearing encampments

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday had a message for local governments: clean up homeless encampments now or lose out on state funding next year.

Standing in front of a cleared homeless encampment in Los Angeles, Newsom vowed to start taking state funding away from cities and counties that are not doing enough to move people out of encampments and into shelter. The governor joined the California Department of Transportation, known as Caltrans, on Thursday to clear several encampment sites in the area.

“I want to see results,” Newsom told reporters at a news conference. “I don’t want to read about them. I don’t want to see the data. I want to see it.”

Thursday’s announcement was part of Newsom's escalating campaign to push local governments into doing more homeless encampment sweeps. Newsom last month ordered state agencies to start clearing encampments on state land. He also pressured local government to do the same, though he cannot legally force them to act.

National Alliance to End Homelessness State of Homelessness: 2024 Edition

In 2023, the homelessness response system worked diligently to reduce homelessness. Evidence of its effectiveness includes:

1. More People Served in Shelters. Between 2022 and 2023, there was a 14 percent increase in the number of people staying in shelters on the night of the Point-in-Time Count (PIT Count).
2. Permanent Housing Supply Expanded. The homelessness response system added 36,737 Permanent Support Housing (PSH), Rapid Re-Housing (RRH) and Other Permanent Housing (OPH) units between 2022 and 2023.
3. More People Exiting to Permanent Housing. The number of people who exited temporary housing, PSH, OPH or RRH to permanent, independent housing increased from 302,006 people in 2022 to 317,994 people in 2023. Still, too many people are entering into homelessness for the system to keep up, too many people are living in doubled up housing due to financial necessity, and exits to permanent housing have not returned to pre-pandemic numbers.
4. Unsheltered Homelessness Grew Slower than Sheltered Homelessness. Between 2022 and 2023, unsheltered homelessness increased by 9.7 percent but was outpaced by a 13.7 percent increase in sheltered homelessness. The number of people accessing services is increasing faster than the number of people being forced to live outside.
5. Fewer Returns to Homelessness. Fewer returns to homelessness in 2023 compared to 2019 suggest that frontline workers are connecting people with safe, stable housing and higher incomes.

Glendale Community College Resources

• GCC Cares: Intake form or refer student by email; helps with GoPass for free Metro, food market, and referral to housing (Ascencia is the local housing support organization)

• Showers for students: Available in VAQ Gym locker rooms, Monday – Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Daytime sleeping:

  • GCC Health Center has beds during open hours, Located first floor of the San Rafael Bldg., across from the Auditorium.

  • Nap Pods (30 minutes or less): The Library 4th Level, The Learning Commons, CASA Center Administration Building 247

• GCC Library: First come, first serve laptops, ipads, and calculators. Third and fourth level of library have free computer use and WiFi during open hours.

• LAPL Tech2Go Bundles: Computer and hotspots available at first come, first serve to card holders. Nearest branches are Echo Park, Cypress Park, Lincoln Heights, Central Downtown, or Chinatown. Best way is to place a hold and they will contact when available.

• LA County Library LTE Chromebook: Computer devices available at first come, first serve to card holders. Hotspots are also available. Nearest branch is in East Los. Best way is to place a hold and they will contact when available.

• For general resources, see GCC Helpfinder.