Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass faces a political setback as the city’s latest annual homeless count, scheduled for release Friday, is expected to show an increase of roughly 3.4% to 3.5% year over year, halting two consecutive years of historic declines driven by funding cuts and rising economic pressures.
Expected Increase Follows Two Years of Declines
The annual point-in-time count overseen by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority is set to make its official figures public on Friday.
Homelessness in Los Angeles is expected to be up 3.4% to 3.5% compared to the previous survey. The anticipated rise returns the city’s unhoused population near 2024 levels, disrupting a downward trajectory that local leaders had repeatedly highlighted throughout recent election cycles.
While one source noted that the expected increase falls within the count’s statistical margin of error, granular figures point to deeper strains. According to data provided to FOX 11, shelter populations remained relatively stable, but the number of individuals living unsheltered on the streets jumped by approximately 8%.
Bass Defends Record and Cites State and Federal Cuts
Facing her toughest political test on the issue since taking office in 2022, Mayor Karen Bass released a comprehensive statement addressing the expected spike. Bass pointed directly to external fiscal shocks, blaming state and federal policy rollbacks for pushing vulnerable residents onto the streets faster than municipal programs could house them.
The mayor specifically highlighted a 50% reduction in state Housing, Homeless Assistance and Support Program (HHAP) funding that resulted in a $70 million hit to Los Angeles city alone. She also criticized the federal government, stating that the Trump administration slashed critical safety net funding and cut federal housing assistance by 50% last year, stripping the city of another $70 million while driving up everyday costs for gas, groceries, and rent.
A Broken Oversight System and Scathing Audits
Beyond external budget cuts, Bass directed sharp criticism inward toward the infrastructure tasked with managing the crisis. For three decades, the city relied primarily on the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority to execute its homelessness response. Recent audits and court findings, however, have laid bare deep systemic failures.
“Audits and the courts have now made plain what too many Angelenos already saw: the money wasn’t tracked, providers went unpaid, and public trust eroded. I’m not going to defend a broken system. The City must build something better – results-driven, transparent, and centered around the people we’re trying to help, not the bureaucracy.”
Mayor Karen Bass
Observers noted that the county largely distanced itself from the agency in 2025, while federal authorities pulled $200 million amid investigations into financial mismanagement, poor contract oversight, and alleged conflicts of interest.
Political Fallout and Diverging Neighborhood Realities
City Councilwoman Nithya Raman, who is challenging Bass in the November general election, issued a blunt assessment of the numbers.
“This year’s numbers are disappointing, but not surprising. Leadership at City Hall has not shown the willingness to shift toward an approach that actually moves people into permanent housing. And these results make clear that the Mayor’s approach is not working well enough.”
Councilwoman Nithya Raman, via NBC Los Angeles
Raman argued that her own district experienced a measurable decrease in street homelessness through sustained, hands-on work. Meanwhile, downtown neighborhood leaders report that daily conditions remain acute.
What Lies Ahead for the City’s Response
As the official point-in-time figures go public on Friday, city officials will parse council district breakdowns to see where interventions succeeded and where they stalled. While Bass maintains that her administration’s signature programs—including the $250 million Inside Safe program—have moved thousands into interim housing and reduced overall homelessness by 11% since 2023, the renewed growth on the streets presents an immediate governance challenge.
Whether voters will weigh external economic pressures and state funding restorations against the visible persistence of encampments and administrative audits remains the central question heading toward the November runoff.
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