From 8 p.m. to midnight on January 25, over 90 volunteers conducted a comprehensive homeless count in LA’s Koreatown. Volunteers worked in teams of three to five, covering an average of 10 to 12 blocks per team to count the number of people experiencing homelessness over the winter.
The LA County Homeless Services Authority’s (LAHSA) 2024 Los Angeles County Homeless Count took place from January 23 to 25. On the last day of the count, volunteers worked in downtown LA, the Antelope Valley, South LA, and Koreatown.
Volunteers walked the streets and recorded every tent, sedan, SUV, van, camper, or RV they saw in a pre-installed app. When spotting a homeless person, they assigned them a location in the app and recorded their living arrangements.
This year saw a decline in large-scale homeless encampments, marking a noticeable shift from the previous year’s count. The most frequently complained-about camps have disappeared at the Shatto Recreation Center at the intersection of 4th Street and Shatto Place, the street west of the LA Consulate General at Wilshire Boulevard and New Hampshire Avenue, north of the LA Korean Education Center at Wilshire Place and Sunset Place, and west of the First Baptist Church at 8th Street and Westmoreland Avenue.
On the other hand, encampments on Wilton Place and 10th Street in the western part of Koreatown continue to exist, with people living alone in simple tents in alleys.
Particularly along Wilshire Boulevard and Vermont Avenue, several homeless individuals were observed sleeping on blankets beside storefronts. A Korean-American woman was also seen outside the Koreatown Galleria on Olympic Boulevard.
“While surveying the streets, I noticed fewer tents than last year, but there seemed to be more individuals experiencing homelessness,” said James Ahn, President of the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles (KAFLA), who surveyed the homeless in the blocks from Wilshire Boulevard to 8th Street and from Catalina Street to Vermont Avenue in Koreatown. “I don’t think the existing homeless have disappeared, but they are staying somewhere in Koreatown,” he said.
For several years now, Koreatown has seen a sharp rise in homelessness, leading to problems with violence, drug dealing, and littering. However, there have not been many complaints despite such problems, according to city council offices of the 10th District.
It was also pointed out that LA Mayor Karen Bass’s much-touted homeless relocation policy, ‘Inside Safe’, only focused on removing large-scale tent camps.
“Inside Safe prioritizes clearing encampments in areas where homelessness is highly visible, such as Venice Beach,” said a volunteer at the homeless count. “The homeless camps in Koreatown are often spread out and therefore seem to be an afterthought in terms of public outreach and problem-solving.”
Bomi Kim, 30, a nursing student who volunteered at the homeless count said, “I typically drive in Koreatown because I’m afraid to walk. I hope the city builds more shelters and solves the homeless drug problem as soon as possible.”
“If you are hesitating whether to file a complaint to the city officials, please reach out to KAFLA. We will gather public opinion and deliver it directly to the councilmember’s office.”
The youth homeless count for people under the age of 18 will continue to run until January 31. The count is being conducted in a 4,000-square-mile area throughout LA County, including the cities of Los Angeles, Culver City, Santa Monica, and Beverly Hills.
Last year’s count showed a 10% increase in homelessness from the previous year to 46,260 in the City of Los Angeles and a 9% increase to 75,518 for LA County, continuing the stigma of being the nation’s most homeless-populated area. The results of this year’s count are expected to be released in June or July.
BY HYOUNGJAE KIM, HOONSIK WOO [kim.ian@koreadaily.com]
