Long Beach Point in Time Count Shows a Slight Rise in Homelessness
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Above: Mayor Rex Richardson, alongside City Manager Tom Modica and other City of Long Beach officials, gathered to discuss the 2025 Homeless Point in Time Count at Homekey at 1725, the City's newly refurbished interim housing site.

Long Beach, CA – The City of Long Beach hosted a roundtable discussion to share the findings of the 2025 Homeless Point-in-Time (PIT) Count and discuss the City's multi-departmental response to homelessness. During the discussion, the City announced that the 2025 PIT Count, conducted in the early hours of Jan. 23, 2025, identified 3,595 people experiencing homelessness in Long Beach, a net increase of 219 compared to 2024. Over 76% of the increase is a result of the January 2025 Southern California wildfire displacements – among those surveyed,167 people reported being displaced by the January 2025 Southern California wildfires, which were still active at the time. Homelessness increased by 6.5%, with 5% attributed to the fires and 1.5% due to other causes.

"When we look at the City's efforts to address homelessness apart from the tragic wildfires, we've seen improvements in areas where we have struggled in the past, such as a profound decrease in chronic homelessness," said Mayor Rex Richardson.  "We're proud of the progress that's been made, and we remain committed to continuing that work."

The City has released a comprehensive report detailing this year's count, including key findings, demographics, a comprehensive look at the causes and underlying conditions of homelessness, and case studies of the youth and riverbed populations. Below is an overview of this year's data.

Above: The figure shows the trend in homelessness rates, indicating percentage changes from 2017 to the present.

Above: The figure illustrates the rise in homelessness in 2025, with particular emphasis on displacements caused by fires.

Demographics
  • Gender Identity:
    • Male: 69.9%
    • Female: 29.3%
    • Transgender/Gender Non-Conforming: 2.9%
  • Race/Ethnicity:
    • Black: 34.7%
    • White: 24.8%
    • Latinx: 24%
    • Multiple/Other: 11%
    • AAPI: 3.8%
    • Native American: 1.6%
  • Age:
    • The average age dropped from 48.8 to 46.8 years, indicating a younger homeless population.

Key Drivers and Homelessness Type
  • Top Causes:
    • Financial/Employment (41.2%)
    • Family Issues (28.1%)
    • Eviction (16%)
    • Mental Health (15.3%)
    • Physical Disability (11%)
    • Substance Use (9.5%)

Chronic Homelessness
Chronic homelessness decreased to 1,678 people, with 477 (28.4%) sheltered and 1,201 (71.6%) unsheltered. A 46.6% increase in shelter access signals the effectiveness of targeted interventions, showing progress in reducing chronic homelessness.

Newly Homeless
The number of people reporting that they are newly homeless increased from 14.3% last year to 16% in 2025. "Newly homeless" refers to people experiencing homelessness for the first time and for less than one year. While the rate of first-time homelessness remained unchanged, the rise in people who are newly homeless suggests that more people in Long Beach have become homeless within the past year.  Last year 1,595 people were able to find housing and exited homelessness, yet more people continue to fall into homelessness for a variety of reasons as outlined in the report.

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Homekey at 1725
The roundtable was held at the City's newly refurbished interim housing site, Homekey at 1725, a recently reopened City facility providing shelter and support to people experiencing homelessness. This project transforms the former Best Western motel into 99 interim housing units, along with a lobby refresh, a new resident lounge, new outdoor patio space, new case management offices and staff workspaces and security upgrades.

Operated by First to Serve, the program offers immediate, person-centered assistance through entry-point problem-solving conversations. These are designed to quickly resolve housing crises through social network reconnections, community resources or one-time financial aid.

Case management services are provided to support participants in becoming document-ready, securing permanent housing, and accessing benefits and employment opportunities. Residents receive three meals a day, health and safety support, including Narcan-trained staff and trauma-informed security, and will benefit from coordinated housing referrals to ensure smooth transitions into permanent housing.

Upcoming Initiatives
The City has other temporary housing projects in the works, including:
  • Youth Shelter and Navigation Center: Designed for young adults aged 18 to 24, this center will offer 12 year-round beds along with supportive services such as case management, restroom and shower facilities, laundry, a kitchenette and a lounge area. The $4.1 million renovation is funded by Measure A, California's AB32 Global Warming Solutions Act, and the Homeless Emergency Aid Program. This facility broke ground in January 2024 and is expected to open this summer.
  • Homekey at 5950: This facility is transforming the former Luxury Inn motel into 78 interim housing units, 12 of which will be ADA-accessible. Supported by $6.5 million in funding from the State's Project Homekey Program, the City's General Fund, and Measure A, the project intends to provide stable and supportive spaces for people experiencing homelessness. This facility is expected to open later this summer.

Additionally, earlier this year the City received $11 million in Encampment Resolution Funding from the State of California to support efforts to address homelessness along the Los Angeles Riverbed. This funding will assist the 164 people identified in the 2025 count as living in the area. The City plans to use the grant to:
  • Move people into non-congregate shelters and, ultimately, into permanent housing.
  • Increase outreach and engagement efforts.
  • Open new non-congregate shelter spaces and provide supportive services to help people transition into stable housing.

The City's Community Development Department has focused on creating new affordable housing units with supportive services for people experiencing homelessness. Recently, the City celebrated two major milestones:
  • The grand opening of The Cove, which offers 60 project-based Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) vouchers.
  • The groundbreaking of 300 Alamitos, an 82-unit affordable housing development for low-income seniors, including those who have experienced homelessness.

How to Help

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Residents can play a role in addressing homelessness by reporting people or areas in need of services. Connecting people with the appropriate resources is crucial to ensuring positive outcomes for the entire community. To assist residents, the City has published a guide outlining who to call in different situations.

Donation drop-off bins, implemented in early 2023, remain available at locations across the city, offering a convenient way for residents to contribute essential items that can make a meaningful impact. Bins are located at all open Long Beach Public Library locations during regular business hours, as well as at the locations below:
  • Boys and Girls Club of Long Beach (3635 Long Beach Blvd.), Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Scherer Park Community Center, (4654 Pasadena Ave.), Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m.

For comparative data, people can review the 2024 Homeless Count report.

For more information on the City's efforts to reduce homelessness in Long Beach, people may visit longbeach.gov/homelessness and follow @lbhealthdept and @longbeachcity on social media and follow the hashtag #EveryoneHomeLB.

About the City of Long Beach
Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000 people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture, and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, the award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube. More information about the Long Beach Health Department is available at longbeach.gov/health and on Instagram, Facebook and X.

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