Interactive map shows homelessness and housing in L.A. County

Los Angeles County today unveiled a multilayered, interactive GIS planning tool designed to guide urgent efforts to create interim and supportive housing to address the homelessness crisis. The tool, presented to the Board of Supervisors by Chief Executive Officer Sachi A. Hamai, is intended to guide policymakers in Los Angeles County and its 88 cities as they move to increase available housing. “This planning tool provides a powerful and transparent roadmap for how we should be moving forward to address this crisis,” Hamai said. “It offers a unique visual presentation that shows the important efforts now underway—but also demonstrates the hard work that lies ahead.” The map draws on data from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority’s January 2019 Point in Time Count, which reported nearly 59,000 people experiencing homelessness across Los Angeles County—more than 44,000 of them unsheltered. The map makes it possible to view the homeless population data geographically, while adding layers that show existing supportive and interim housing, as well as housing that is currently being developed. It reflects the unprecedented development underway to create more supportive housing than ever before in the County’s history. It also visually demonstrates gaps between where the need is and where projects currently exist or are being developed. The tool unveiled today is the project’s first iteration; additional data and refinements will be added in the months ahead. “We look forward to continuing to grow the usefulness of this planning tool as we attack this crisis with all the resources at our disposal,” Hamai said. To access the map, please go to storymaps.arcgis.com. Note: This application is not compatible with Internet Explorer. Please use another browser.