A comprehensive survey recently began to accurately count the number of homeless individuals in LA County. The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) originally planned to conduct the study last month but postponed it due to wildfires.
The survey will now take place over three days, from February 18 to 20. LAHSA explained that the purpose of the survey is to assess the scale of homelessness and evaluate the effectiveness of the policies implemented so far.
However, concerns have been raised about the effectiveness of the survey due to inaccurate counting methods and a shortage of volunteers to conduct the count.
According to LAHSA, the survey begins each evening at 8 p.m. Groups of three to four volunteers are assigned specific areas where they manually count the number of homeless individuals. To ensure accuracy, volunteers must visit homeless encampments, RVs, and other locations where homeless individuals reside to verify the number of occupants.
However, in practice, these guidelines are not always strictly followed. Members of the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles (KAFLA), who participated in LAHSA’s homeless counts from 2020 to 2023, pointed out significant challenges in adhering to the regulations. KAFLA Secretary General Jeff Lee noted, “Volunteers count the number of tents or RVs, but they are unable to determine how many people are living inside.” As a result, the actual number of homeless individuals is likely higher than the reported figures.
A volunteer who participated last year, identified as Mr. Kang, also said, “It is virtually impossible to count the number of people inside a tent due to safety concerns.” He added, “This means the figures released each year should be considered estimates rather than precise statistics.” Kang further emphasized the need for changes in the survey methodology.
Secretary General Lee agreed, stating, “We cannot simply open tents or RVs for the sake of the survey.” He suggested that providing water or food to encourage voluntary participation would be a more effective approach. He also mentioned that KAFLA has repeatedly proposed such improvements to authorities, but no changes have been made so far. “Although police patrols have been increased along the routes where volunteers operate, additional safety measures are necessary since the count takes place late at night,” he added.
The number of volunteers participating in the survey is also significantly insufficient. LAHSA requires a total of 7,929 volunteers for the survey, but as of 3 p.m. on February 18, only 4,726 volunteers had registered—40% short of the target. However, the Wilshire-Koreatown area, which includes Koreatown, showed a relatively high participation rate, with 93% of the target 60 volunteers registered.
Meanwhile, LAHSA aims to release the survey results before summer. The final homeless count will be calculated by combining the street count with the number of shelter residents. A comprehensive report, including an analysis of homelessness and policy recommendations, will then be compiled by the USC School of Social Work.
BY KYEONGJUN KIM [kim.kyeongjun1@koreadaily.com]
