Los Angeles’ unsheltered homeless population rose 7.9% and overall homelessness increased 3.4% in the latest point-in-time count, reversing two years of declines. The figures, previewed in closed-door briefings by LAHSA, deal a blow to Mayor Karen Bass as she seeks reelection Nov. 3.

Bass blamed state and federal funding cuts and inadequate county mental health and substance abuse services. Her Inside Safe program moved more than 6,000 people into interim housing since December 2022, but 41% had returned to homelessness by May 31. Challenger Nithya Raman is running against Bass.

The uptick undermines Bass’s narrative of a 17.5% drop in unsheltered homelessness over two years. Political scientist Fernando Guerra said the numbers contradict her campaign theme. Bass also faces fallout from the Lineage fire, water main breaks, the Palisades fire, a budget crisis, and federal immigration raids.

Countywide, overall homelessness rose 1.2% and unsheltered 3.5% in the 85-city continuum. Supervisor Lindsey Horvath called the count one data point. The Trump administration moved to suspend LAHSA from federal funding; a court hearing is set for Aug. 6. The county previously shifted hundreds of millions from LAHSA to a new agency.