'From Streets to Homes': The Impact of 'Inside Safe' in Reducing Homeless Deaths in LA for the First Time in a Decade

Number of Deaths Down by 300 in 2024 Compared to Previous Year
Homelessness Remains a Serious Issue Across the United States

The number of homeless deaths in Los Angeles (LA), California, has declined for the first time in a decade.

On March 11, according to Yonhap News, citing a report released by the LA County Department of Public Health, the number of homeless deaths in 2024 was tallied at 2,208, representing a decrease of about 300 from the previous year. This is the first time since LA County began compiling statistics on homeless deaths in 2014 that the number has declined.

Homeless tents under a bridge near Interstate 101 in Los Angeles. Photo by AP Yonhap News.

The number of homeless deaths in the LA area had increased steadily over the past ten years. In 2017, it surpassed 1,000 for the first time, and during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2023, it reached an all-time high of 2,508. The main causes of death among the homeless include drug overdoses, heart disease, and traffic accidents. In particular, the abuse of opioid painkillers and synthetic drugs (such as fentanyl), which has become a serious social issue across the United States, has been cited as a major factor behind the rising number of homeless deaths. Among these, in 2024, all major causes of death—including drug overdoses, heart disease, and homicide—showed a decline. Health authorities attributed these changes to expanded housing support and policies aimed at reducing street homelessness.

In recent years, the LA area has implemented a variety of policies to address homelessness. A representative example is the "Inside Safe" program. This initiative relocates homeless individuals from the streets to indoor living spaces such as temporary shelters, hotels, or rental housing, then provides long-term housing support. LA Mayor Karen Bass stated, "Through the Inside Safe program, we have connected thousands of homeless individuals to indoor housing," emphasizing that "reducing street homelessness by 17.5% has played a critical role in saving lives."

Homelessness has become a serious social issue not only in Los Angeles but throughout the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the total number of homeless individuals in the U.S. reached a record high of approximately 650,000 in 2023. A homeless person sleeps on a bus stop bench in the Orlando, Florida area. Photo by AP Yonhap News

Meanwhile, the issue of homelessness has become a serious social problem not only in LA but throughout the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the total number of homeless people nationwide reached approximately 650,000 in 2023, marking an all-time high. Rising housing costs, income inequality, mental health issues, and drug addiction are cited as contributing factors to the increase in the homeless population. The situation is particularly severe in major western cities. California, home to cities like LA and San Francisco, accounts for about 30% of the nation’s homeless population, and neighboring cities such as Seattle and Portland continue to experience social problems stemming from street homelessness.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.