LA's homelessness spiral laid bare by bombshell new report - in latest blow to beleaguered Mayor Karen Bass

Published: 05:29, 26 July 2026 | Updated: 05:29, 26 July 2026 Los Angeles County’s homelessness crisis has surged, a new report has found, marking the latest major setback for beleaguered Mayor Karen Bass.  The county's homeless population rose 1.2 percent from last year, reaching an estimated total of 73,040 people across the county, which comprises 85 cities. In the city of Los Angeles alone, homelessness spiked 3.4 percent to an estimated total of 45,194 people. The number of people living on the streets - either in encampments or vehicles - climbed 3.3 percent across the county and jumped a staggering 7.9 percent citywide. Bass’ homelessness initiative has poured $82,420 a year into motel rooms for each person sheltered - yet nearly 40 percent have eventually returned to the streets, often battling addiction and other barriers to stability, the Wall Street Journal reported.  The latest figures mark a reversal from the progress seen in recent years. In the city of Los Angeles, unsheltered homelessness had fallen 7.9 percent in last year’s count, with a 17.5 percent drop over the previous two years. Officials said the stalled progress was driven by fewer homeless residents moving into shelters, along with funding cuts and a shortage of affordable housing preventing people from transitioning into permanent homes.   In a statement, Mayor Bass acknowledged the troubling numbers but vowed to continue her efforts to tackle the homelessness crisis.  Los Angeles County's homelessness crisis has surged, posing a major setback for Mayor Karen Bass' push to tackle the issue  Los Angeles County’s homeless population rose 1.2 percent from last year, reaching an estimated total of 73,040 people across the county, which comprises 85 cities  Drug use is rampant across the city and culminates in the bedlam that is downtown LA 'For two years straight, we drove down homelessness by historic margins - but as expected, last year our efforts ultimately couldn't keep up with policies and funding cuts at the federal and state levels that pushed more people onto the streets,' the statement read, per ABC7. She went on to blame the Trump administration for rising costs of gas, groceries and rent, as well as cuts to safety-net programs, saying those pressures have contributed to homelessness in Los Angeles.  'Last year's 50 percent cut in state HHAP funding from $1 billion to $500 million - resulting in a $70 million hit to L.A. city alone - severely impacted our work to keep people housed and get more Angelenos off the streets,' the statement continued. Bass added that the city raised 'philanthropic dollars' to help offset the cuts and worked with other mayors to push for restoration of the funding, which was brought back to $900 million. 'The lack of adequate services provided by L.A. County continues to be a real problem and a contributing factor to people cycling in and out of homelessness,' the statement said. Despite these challenges, Bass said Los Angeles has reduced homelessness by 11 percent since 2023, moved tens of thousands into temporary housing, helped 6,000 people leave the streets through Inside Safe, and housed more than 1,000 homeless veterans.  'We declared a homelessness state of emergency on day one, addressed 130 encampments, and helped keep 85,000 people in their homes through eviction defense. We're doubling down on what works.' Bass blamed the Trump administration for rising costs of gas, groceries and rent, as well as cuts to safety-net programs, saying those pressures have contributed to homelessness in Los Angeles Graffiti-covered walls, discarded belongings and litter-strewn sidewalks have become common sights in parts of the downtown core  A homeless man sits on a mattress in downtown Los Angeles  The homeless crisis is a critical issue in the Los Angeles mayoral race. Pictured above is an encampment in Los Angeles on June 25, 2025  But Bass also acknowledged that parts of the system are failing, saying the city’s decades-long approach through LAHSA has been plagued by poor tracking of funds, unpaid providers and eroding public trust.  'The City must build something better - results-driven, transparent, and centered around the people we're trying to help, not the bureaucracy,' the statement concluded. Los Angeles Councilwoman Nithya Raman, a rival to Bass in the mayoral race, called this year’s figures 'disappointing, but not surprising' in a statement. 'Leadership at City Hall has not shown the willingness to shift toward an approach that actually moves people into permanent housing. And these results make clear that the Mayor's approach is not working well enough. 'The results in my district tell a different story-a significant decrease in the number of people living on our streets. Those results came from sustained, hands-on work, and I am confident we can bring that approach-and those results-citywide,' she added. The Daily Mail has reached out to Bass's office for comment.