Fewer People Outside. More People Sheltered.

The results of Los Angeles’ annual homeless count were released Friday, and it tells two different stories.

Across the City of Los Angeles, the total number of people experiencing homelessness, including those in shelters and those living outside, increased 3.4 percent. Within that total, the number of people living outside increased 7.9 percent. However, here in Council District 5, we saw meaningful movement in the opposite direction.

Unsheltered homelessness in CD5 fell 12 percent over the past year and 22 percent since I took office. The number of tents fell 58 percent, and the total number of cars, vans, tents, RVs, and makeshift shelters fell 16 percent. At the same time, the number of people counted in shelters increased 60 percent.

Those numbers reflect the work my team and I have focused on since day one: moving people off the street and indoors. Last year, we opened the district’s first interim housing site for general-population adults, along with a new youth site on Melrose. As a result, the count shows more people sleeping in shelter on a given night.

We have now resolved nearly every major encampment in the district, including the Cotner Avenue encampment, which had been there for over a decade. After moving 72 people indoors, we’ve kept the area clear through continued outreach and regular follow-up. For new and smaller encampments, my three-person homelessness outreach team works in our neighborhoods every day, building trust, conducting repeated engagement to connect people to services, and finding placement in available beds.

The latest numbers show focused local work produces results. They also show the work is not finished.

Too many people still live outside in CD5. Los Angeles is not building enough new housing, and many people remaining on our streets live with severe mental illness, addiction, or years of trauma. Los Angeles County must provide the sustained mental health and addiction services they need.

The citywide increase also shows how fragile progress is. It follows two years of improvement, but state and federal funding reductions have strained prevention, shelter, and housing programs.

We need to protect the work that is producing results while fixing the parts of the system that are falling short. Our responsibility in Council District 5 is to protect the progress we have made, build on it, and keep working until every person has a safe place to live.

SEE THE 2026 HOMELESS COUNT NUMBERS→

Key Updates

ONGOING | MORE THAN 500 STREETLIGHTS REPAIRED

Street Lighting crews have now completed more than 500 coordinated repairs across the district. At locations where copper wire theft damaged underground infrastructure, crews replaced missing wiring, repaired entire electrical circuits, sealed pull boxes in concrete, and welded access covers shut. These added protections make future theft harder and reduce the risk of another round of widespread outages.

Our dedicated district repair effort is reducing the backlog, but many blocks still need attention. Residents with an open streetlight request should send our office their 311 service request number so our team can follow up directly.

REPORT AN OUTAGE →

APPROVED | METRO MOVES TO ADD A VOTING RIDER SEAT

At last Thursday’s meeting, the Metro Board unanimously approved a motion to create a new voting seat specifically for a transit rider. I voted yes. The idea is simple: the people closest to a problem are often closest to the solution. Riders who deal firsthand with late buses, missed connections, accessibility barriers, safety concerns, and the daily realities of relying on transit should help shape the decisions that Metro makes. Metro staff will now work with rider advisory councils and community organizations to develop a transparent selection process. The proposal will also require approval from the State Legislature. This vote marks an important step toward giving riders a formal voice at Metro’s highest level of decision-making.

IN THE DISTRICT | HELPING FAMILIES START THE SCHOOL YEAR PREPARED

On Saturday, hundreds of families joined The Heart LA Church for its annual back-to-school event. My office sponsored the event, which provided free backpacks filled with school supplies, shoes, haircuts, 1,000 bags of groceries, and pizza from Andres Restaurant.

Thank you to The Heart LA Church and every volunteer who helped local students prepare for the year ahead.

Something is Happening in Westwood...

ICYMI: A FIRST LOOK AT WESTWOOD’S FUTURE D LINE STATIONS

Metro shared a sneak peek at public artwork being installed inside the future Westwood D Line stations.

The artwork will reflect the history, culture, and people of the surrounding communities. Construction continues at the Westwood/UCLA and Westwood/VA Hospital stations, with service scheduled to reach Westwood in 2027.

WATCH THE VIDEO→

WESTWOOD’S CINEMA COMEBACK

Westwood is having a major month at the movies. Jason Reitman shared last week that Directors Village (Westwood Village Theater) was the #1 theater in the country showing The Odyssey in 70mm! The screenings offer a preview of the theater’s future as it prepares for a full renovation and reopening.

That’s not all. Last week, the Bruin Theater across the street announced plans to reopen this fall under a new independent operator. The 670-seat theater plans to show new releases, classic films, and special events. Its 35mm and 70mm projection equipment will return alongside its digital system.

Bringing both historic theaters back to life is good news for Westwood Village, local businesses, UCLA students, and movie lovers across Los Angeles.

There is a lot more good news in store. Stay tuned for more Westwood updates!

Need Help With a City Service?

We’re here to help! My team assists residents with homelessness concerns, streetlights, sanitation, renter issues, public safety, and other City services.

HELP WITH CITY SERVICES→

RENTER ISSUES→

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REQUEST A CLEANUP→

TRIBUTES AND CERTIFICATES→

GENERAL CONTACT→

City Hall Office
200 N. Spring Street, Suite 440
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 473-7005

District Office

5416 Wilshire Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90036

(323) 866-1828

General inquiries: Councilmember.Yaroslavsky@lacity.org