Supervisors cite a $303 million shortfall as advocates warn reduced outreach and prevention will hit vulnerable communities hardest
On February 3, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approve an $843 million homelessness spending plan—one that keeps core systems running but quietly rolls back nearly $200 million to $219 million in programs that many unhoused residents rely on to survive.
County officials framed the decision as unavoidable. A $303 million budget shortfall—driven by rising shelter operating costs, expiring federal and state grants, and lower-than-expected sales tax revenue—forced supervisors to make reductions across multiple homelessness initiatives.
But for advocates working on the ground, the vote marks a turning point: fewer resources at a moment when homelessness continues to rise across the region.
What’s Being Cut
Among the most significant changes is the scaling back of Pathway Home, the county’s encampment-to-housing initiative. The program will shrink from 20 active sites to just seven, sharply reducing the county’s capacity to transition people from street encampments into interim or permanent housing.
Funding reductions will also hit:
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Street outreach teams that connect unhoused residents to services
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Homelessness prevention programs designed to stop evictions before they happen
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Supportive services tied to mental health, substance use treatment, and case management
“These programs aren’t abstract line items,” housing advocates told supervisors during public comment. “They are the first point of contact for people trying to survive.”
Why Latino Communities Are Watching Closely
Latinos represent a growing share of Los Angeles County’s unhoused population, particularly among families, day laborers, and older adults living in overcrowded or unstable housing. According to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, Latino homelessness has risen steadily since the pandemic, often driven by job loss, rising rents, and limited access to affordable housing.
For many immigrant families—especially those wary of interacting with government systems—outreach workers are often the only trusted bridge to housing support. Cuts to those teams raise concerns that people will fall through the cracks.
County Leaders Defend the Vote
Supervisors acknowledged the pain of the reductions but argued the alternative was deeper cuts across essential services. “This budget reflects difficult tradeoffs,” one supervisor said during the meeting, noting that the county is still spending more on homelessness than it did five years ago.
As Los Angeles debates how to balance budgets and human needs, one reality remains unchanged: fewer dollars on paper translate into fewer lifelines on the street.
