News release
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has released its seventh annual report on mortality among people who are homeless in Los Angeles County, showing a reduction in deaths in 2024 for the first time since tracking the homeless mortality rate began in 2014.
In 2024, the most recent year of data analyzed for the report, there were 2,208 deaths among the homeless population — 300 fewer than in 2023 — and the mortality rate decreased by 10% from 3,326 deaths per 100,000 people to 2,994 deaths per 100,000 people, according to a news release from Public Health.
The rate decreased among male and female people, and among Black and white people, but remained stable among Latino people, the release said. The mortality rate was 4.2 times greater among homeless people when compared to L.A. County’s population, down slightly from 4.4 times greater in 2023, the release said.
The recent decrease followed a two-year plateau in the mortality rate from 2021 to 2023, which was preceded by a 56% increase from 2019 to 2021, the release said. The overall decrease in 2024 was driven largely by a 21% decrease in drug overdose mortality. Overdose prevention, harm reduction and mental health and substance use treatment services likely contributed to the decrease in overdose mortality, the release said. Heart disease and homicide mortality also decreased in 2024, but traffic injury and suicide mortality both increased.
“While this decrease in mortality is encouraging, even one life lost is too many,” 5th District Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose district includes the Santa Clarita Valley, said in the release. “I am hopeful this trend will continue now that our county has established its Department of Homeless Services and Housing, focusing on support services that truly make a difference. Expanding substance use treatment and recovery programs remains central to helping people experiencing homelessness rebuild safe, stable and lasting lives.”
“Each unhoused person that loses their life was someone’s child, sibling and loved one and I send my deepest condolences to their loved one. It is heartening to see that the efforts and strong collaboration of our multi-agency L.A. County Homeless Mortality Prevention Workgroup and homeless services providers across the county is leading to fewer tragic deaths,” Barbara Ferrer, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, said in the release. “However, we need to continue to work hard, especially during these challenging times, because we still see too many people dying on our streets.”
