Hundreds of volunteers and health workers scoured the city before sunrise this week as part of an annual count of individuals who don’t have permanent shelter.

Final numbers, typically released in April, are used to determine how much federal aid cities and counties receive for housing and mental health programs — and also to assess how effective current interventions have been.

Over 300 volunteers with clipboards and questions tried to learn more about the unhoused, including underlying causes like mental health, childhood trauma, substance use disorder, unemployment and the high cost of housing.

Last year, the city identified 3,376 homeless individuals, a decline of 2.1% from the previous years — and the first decrease since 2017.

Last year Long Beach saw its first decline in homelessness in seven years. Image from the city’s Point In Time Homeless Report released in May in 2024.

Volunteers gathered early Thursday at The Grand events center on Willow Street before fanning out across the city’s 52 square miles and 72 routes.

They searched alleyways, under bridges, through parks and along hillsides, using face-to-face surveys to collect detailed demographic data and narratives about how people wound up without shelter.

Some told volunteers that they got into trouble with the law, while others simply fell behind on rent and had nowhere else to go. Most said they don’t own a car, don’t vote and don’t have a job. Many are traumatized by their time on the street, with some having visible scars or untreated mental illness.

Most of the individuals knew of the city’s Multi-Service Center, the hub for all homeless-related services, but have a “love and hate” relationship with it.

“Sometimes they help, but a lot of times it gets really hectic,” said Taylor Zizak, an unhoused man who said he’s waited months for food stamps. “It’s definitely easier to just do things my way.”

Many reported having no family and cited the region’s high cost of living.

“Even regular, basic food or snacks has gone up and it just adds up, man,” Zizak said.

Several said they feel safer on the street than in a shelter.

“You’re more likely to get robbed or get assaulted in a shelter,” said Jay, a homeless man sitting at the top of a slope that overlooks Alamitos Beach, who declined to give his last name.

In recent years, Los Angeles County has gained notoriety as the homeless capital of America, with a homeless population that totaled 75,312 people last year — which about equals the population of Bellflower. That figure includes Los Angeles, Pasadena, Glendale, Long Beach and unincorporated areas.

The Los Angeles County homeless count, which includes nearby areas such as Lakewood, Cerritos and Downey, was postponed to Feb. 18-20 due to the wildfires.

A homeless man sits on a park bench as Lucinda Hayes takes information during the annual Point-In-Time homeless count in Long Beach on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. Photo by Thomas R. Cordova.

While leaders said they hope to see another reduction in the count, getting accurate numbers is critical in securing funding for resources.

“Obviously, we want to see positive results,” said Alvin Teng, a manager with the city’s homeless services department. “I think we’re doing a lot of work and sinking a lot of resources into this, so obviously, we’d love to see a reduction.”

Long Beach — and the county — were encouraged by last year’s numbers, providing some hope that interventions may be working.

That message seems to have made its way to those on the streets, too.

“In Long Beach, I heard people actually care for their citizens, the residents, and give help quicker,” said Merlun Minor, a homeless man who said he came from San Diego in the days prior.

“I don’t have a family to go to, I don’t have any friends,” Minor said. “And everybody and anybody that I do have that’s around me or in my circle is just people that I randomly met on the streets going through the same thing, having the same issues. So yeah, I might try it out here, see if I can’t turn things around.”

And at almost 50 years old, Jay said he doesn’t have too many options to get off the street. The man said he lost his job and car after he was arrested for possessing a small amount of meth.

He gave up on the city’s service center, and missed out on the hotel vouchers for a room at the Vagabond Inn, repurposed as a shelter. He spends his days walking the streets, trying his best to not look homeless until his disability check is approved; the monthly check can set him up with a rented room and a $400 Moped scooter, he figures.

“I would love to do DoorDash again,” Jay said. “So that’s my goal for now and I could get back on my feet again. I just need the money.”

Mayor Rex Richardson and Loren Simpson talk to and gather information from a homeless man during the annual Point-In-Time homeless count in Long Beach on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. Photo by Thomas R. Cordova.
Austin Metoyer, left, and his team take information from a homeless individual during the city’s homeless count on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. Photo by Thomas R. Cordova.