Over the past year, Los Angeles has witnessed a tragic increase in the number of homeless individuals who have passed away. The figures, disclosed in an investigation by The Guardian, reveal a shocking 300% surge from 2014. The Guardian’s exclusive review of LA county medical examiner data uncovered a total of 11,573 deaths of unhoused individuals over the last decade, with deaths consistently rising each year. The 2023 data translates to an average of over six deaths per day in the county, although it is important to note that this data is an undercount. The medical examiner’s jurisdiction is limited to deaths considered violent, sudden, or unusual, or cases where the deceased has not recently seen a doctor, indicating that the true scale of the crisis is likely greater than what is captured in the data.
Furthermore, the LA county public health department conducts its own tracking, estimating approximately 20% more deaths in its database due to its more comprehensive sources and methodologies. Notably, the health department has not yet released the 2023 data. The challenges facing the homeless population are multifaceted, encompassing the rise in fentanyl, untreated mental and physical illness, a lack of access to affordable housing, and high rates of violence. The report also highlights a disturbing incident where a man was arrested for allegedly targeting and killing three unhoused men in LA while they were sleeping.