By Unknown, Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority

Hint: It’s not the Hollywood Dream
It’s no secret that Los Angeles has one of the largest homeless populations of any major city in the United States. While the Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count has shown decreases in the last two years, in 2025 it still found that an estimated 72,308 people experienced homelessness on any given night in Los Angeles County, and 43,699 people experienced homelessness on any given night in the City of Los Angeles.

One question that many people have asked, and just as many have attempted to answer, is a simple one: Why are there so many people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles? There is no one answer to that question, but we do know several truths that, when combined, paint a clear picture.

One of the primary drivers of homelessness is a lack of affordable housing. Many studies have borne this out, including an analysis by the Pew Charitable Trusts, which found a strong connection between rent and homelessness, and that when one rises, so does the other.