MALIBU—The city of Malibu’s 2018 Homeless Count revealed a decrease of homelessness by 14 percent in the region. The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) of the Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count recently conducted across the County and in Malibu, indicated that in 2017, the homeless population in Malibu was 180, now compared to 155. In 2016, the city had a total of 161 homeless individuals.
According to the city of Malibu website, on January 25, Malibu joined efforts across the county, the state and the U.S. to count the number of homeless people in the community. The count in Malibu was coordinated by members of CART (Community Assistance Resource Team) and the Malibu Task Force on Homelessness (MTFH). Thirty-nine volunteers from local residents, businesses, community-based organization and government agencies canvassed the area.
With the help of Malibu’s Homeless Outreach Team (MHOT), the decrease was made possible.The MHOT reported that they were able to provide permanent housing for 29 people between September 30, 2016 and March 31, 2018.
Santa Monica, Malibu and West Los Angeles had a homeless population of 5,411 in 2017. In 2018, the homeless population decreased to 4,485. These three cities belong to the Service Planning Area 5 of the count.
The city of Santa Monica’s homeless population increased by 4 percent. A total of 957 homeless were counted, an increase of 36 individuals from the population in 2016.
The 2018 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count states that the homeless population of the entire Los Angeles County decreased by a total of 3 percent. In 2017, the homeless population was at 55,048. It now currently stands at 53,195. This is the first time in four years that the homelessness in Los Angeles County has decreased.
The Homeless Outreach Team consists of two dedicated professional outreach workers from The People Concern who work daily to deal with the many, complex needs of homeless individuals in the region. The People Concern (formerly OPCC) is one of the biggest and highly regarded non-profit organizations that provides comprehensive, coordinated services to homeless individuals in nearby communities including Santa Monica and Pacific Palisades, and other areas of Los Angeles County. MTFH was formed in February 2016 as an independent, unincorporated group of Malibu residents who are focused on engaging and supporting local homeless individuals.
MTFH posts a monthly report of Malibu Homeless Outreach Team’s work on their website at http://malibutaskforce.org/malibu-outreach/reports. To obtain more information about Malibu’s efforts to address homelessness, including the City’s Homeless Strategic Plan, visit www.MalibuCity.org/Homelessness.
