California’s homeless population is going up despite billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded efforts, according to recently released data and officials.
Homelessness jumped 12% and 16% from a year ago in the county and city of Los Angeles, respectively, according to figures released this week based on a count conducted in January. The tally showed 58,936 homeless people in Los Angeles County, which includes 36,300 in the city. The county has the nation’s largest outdoor-homeless population.
Other localities in California saw substantial increases compared with 2017, when they last conducted a count. In San Francisco, the number rose 17% while Alameda County, which includes Oakland, saw a 43% increase. Homelessness grew 42% in San Jose over the past two years and 31% in Santa Clara County, the heart of Silicon Valley.
With 129,972 homeless in 2018, California is ranked No. 1 in the U.S., according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
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