Did They Start Out Homeless? Arrival Situations of Persons Experiencing Unsheltered Homelessness in Los Angeles County

This study highlights how better demographic measurement more accurately informs public policymakers. In this era of renewed and more vigorous efforts to clear people experiencing unsheltered homelessness (unsheltered PEH) from city sidewalks, parks, and elsewhere, elected officials and other stakeholders need to clearly understand the dynamics of their unsheltered PEH populations. To advance understanding, this study investigated in-migration of unsheltered PEH in conjunction with the Los Angeles Continuum of Care’s 2024 HUD-mandated Point-in-Time count. In response to the measurement work of Mitchell (2024), the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority’s 2024 Demographic Survey of unsheltered PEH instrument included a new item distinguishing between perceptions of a place where one has lived versus stayed, which revealed whether in-migration of individuals and families coming to the area immediately experienced homelessness or became unhoused after relocation. This analysis of over one-thousand survey participants self-identified as having migrated into Los Angeles County (a quarter of the total sample of unsheltered PEH) also explored whether there were associations with first-time homelessness or with being accompanied by household members. Responses to this complex survey were analyzed using Stata 17 MP. Key findings include that most survey participants reported either arriving homeless and unsheltered or first staying in either their own or a friend’s or family member’s home. More than half of all in-migration was initially to housed situations (more so for first-time homelessness), not into homelessness. Lone adults were more likely to experience homelessness immediately while accompanied adults were most likely to first stay in someone else’s home.