Long Beach’s homelessness crisis is continuing to worsen, even after major public spending on shelter, outreach, and housing programs. The city’s latest annual tally found more people living in cars, tents, RVs, and interim housing across Long Beach, underscoring how rising rents and the loss of temporary aid can outpace local response efforts.
What’s happening?
During a three-day count in January, volunteers found 3,729 people experiencing homelessness in Long Beach; LAist reported that was 134 more than the 3,595 counted a year earlier and more than twice the 2019 total.
The data showed a mixed picture. LAist reported that 30.6% of unhoused residents were in shelters or interim housing, up from 27.5%, as the city expanded capacity by 12% to 1,521 beds. Long Beach also said 1,702 people were moved into permanent housing.
LAist noted that the share who became homeless within the last year increased from 10.9% to 12.4%, while the chronically homeless share rose from 46.7% to 58%. Staff at the city’s Multi-Service Center said more than 3,000 new people came through last year, or about 20 to 30 per day.
Why does it matter?
Survey respondents most often cited financial and employment issues as the main reasons they lost housing, followed by family disruption and mental health.
Nearby areas have recently seen improvement, or at least stability. Orange County reported about 1,000 fewer unhoused residents in its latest biennial count, and Los Angeles County — which is still waiting on this year’s numbers — previously posted a second straight decline.
Long Beach officials also warned that federal policy could add to the pressure. LAist reported that the Emergency Housing Voucher program currently supports 582 local households, but its funding is expected to run out. If that happens, only 125 households can be shifted to another voucher program, leaving 375 at risk of losing help in October.
What’s being done?
City leaders have continued expanding shelter and housing pipelines, and those efforts have produced some measurable gains. More people are indoors than last year, and more than 1,700 people were placed into permanent housing.
According to LAist, a new rental aid program designed to help about 250 households each year received more than 3,500 applications in its first three months, with about 50 households enrolled.
Long Beach Rescue Mission, which LAist said operates four shelters totaling 227 beds, said it routinely turns away 5 to 6 single people and 10 to 12 families a day. Jeff Levine, who runs the organization, said single parents are especially hard to place: “There’s nothing for them.”
Rent support, housing vouchers, and fast access to services can keep families from falling into crisis in the first place — often more effectively than trying to rebuild stability after months on the street.
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