It’s time again for the annual Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count.
The effort, headed by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, began Tuesday in the San Fernando, San Gabriel and Santa Clarita valleys. A similar effort in Orange County began on Monday.
On Wednesday, efforts move to West and Southeast Los Angeles, as well as the South Bay and Harbor areas, and on Thursday, the count concludes with Antelope Valley, Hollywood and Central and South L.A.
Last year, LAHSA counted more than 75,000 homeless people in L.A. County and about 46,200 within city limits, the Associated Press reports.
“Since 2015, homelessness has increased by 70% in the county and 80% in the city,” the AP said.
Last year alone, the county and city numbers were up 9% and 10%, respectively, according to the Los Angeles Daily News.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has made combating homelessness a focus of her administration, though LAist noted that tracking progress is difficult, at least in part due to data issues.
“When it comes to the overall picture, we still don’t have reliable numbers,” LAist reports.
The newest round of numbers for the homeless count is expected in late spring or early summer.