Azusa’s homeless population decreased by 25% in 2020, according to data released by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority on July 30.
The annual point-in-time Count, conducted Jan. 21-23, reports the number and demographics of the homeless population in Los Angeles County. Volunteers recorded 243 individuals experiencing homelessness in Azusa, of whom 205 were unsheltered and 38 were housed in emergency shelters.
This year’s count reversed Azusa’s surge of homelessness in 2019, which saw a count of 325 individuals.
However, these January numbers likely underestimate the current homeless population, exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic and unprecedented unemployment rates. The COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project recently predicted nearly 4 million renters in California could face eviction by the end of September — causing many to experience homelessness for the first time.
The 2020 homeless count found 66,436 people in Los Angeles County experiencing homelessness, a 12.7% increase from the 2019 count. The LAHSA released a COVID-19 Recovery Plan in June, hoping to move 15,000 of the most vulnerable homeless individuals into permanent housing.
The homeless population in the San Gabriel Valley remained relatively consistent at 4,555 individuals, compared with 4,479 individuals in 2019. These estimates exclude Pasadena, which conducts its own homeless count.
Of the San Gabriel Valley’s homeless population:
- 3,027 were unsheltered
- 1,763 were experiencing chronic homelessness
- 1,119 reported suffering serious mental illness
- 1,130 reported experiencing domestic violence
- 612 were under 18
