Number Of Homeless In Los Angeles County Up Nearly 6 Percent

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The number of homeless people in Los Angeles County increased 5.7 percent over the past year, but homelessness among veterans and families fell significantly.

The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority said Tuesday that its annual count in January found about 46,800 homeless in the county with a population of 10 million. That's up from about 44,300 in 2015.

The agency reported that the vast majority of homeless people in the county have no shelter.

Despite the overall increase, homelessness among veterans dropped by 30 percent, from about 4,300 in 2015 to about 3,000 this year. The number of entire families without homes fell 18 percent.

Some 7,000 volunteers fanned out as part of a three-night effort to count homeless people — the largest among similar efforts in major cities nationwide.