This report recommends that the Census Bureau count all homeless people in the City of Los Angeles, that the Bureau consider all homeless people as living in poverty, and that the Bureau work with homeless outreach workers and service providers to reach out to homeless people during the Census enumeration to increase the likelihood that homeless people will participate. Additional recommendations are detailed in the report. This report details the methodology developed for the demonstration project implemented by the City, evaluates the data gathered on the demonstration night, and provides recommendations related to the Bureau's methodology for the decennial census and actions that should be taken by the City and County to ensure a meaningful count of the City's homeless population. The Bureau will not find homeless people at specific locations, though general target areas can be described in advance. The Census forms are confusing and include questions that are not relevant to people living in a homeless situation.
Homeless people live below the poverty level.
Many homeless people in the study areas chose to remain on the streets, even though the night of the study was a cold, rainy night. 24-hour businesses are excluded from the Census Bureau's count of homeless people, but the survey found this to be a common homeless location type. Over half of the homeless sites identified did not include evidence of encampments. Most homeless people were located in groups of four or less. Most homeless people are regularly homeless.