Laguna Beach Sees Dramatic Drop In Homelessness: Report

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — Homelessness in Laguna Beach reduced significantly since 2019, according to Orange County's 2022 Point in Time Count of the homeless population in the region.

The report said the number of people experiencing homelessness in Laguna Beach dropped by 71 to 28 people, or by 60 percent. The county as a whole saw a 16.65 percent reduction in the number of people experiencing homelessness.

The reduction in homelessness can be attributed in part to the Laguna Beach Police Department's Community Outreach Officers, the city said. The department was one of the first in Orange County to focus almost entirely on homeless-related issues and outreach efforts, according to the city.

The two community outreach officers working for the city work closely with public and nonprofit social service groups, law enforcement agencies and the criminal justice system to connect people with mental health and substance abuse services.

“We have listened to our community and share a commitment to ending homelessness on the streets of Laguna Beach,” Laguna Beach Police Chief Jeff Calvert said. “Over the last two years, our Community Outreach Officers have worked alongside our Patrol Officers to put extra effort and resources toward achieving this goal

The data comes from the Point in Time Count of the Homeless, a study that occurs every two years in jurisdictions across the nation. The count is federally mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to survey the number of people experiencing homelessness in cities and counties throughout the country.

“Reducing homelessness in our community is a priority and these numbers demonstrate that hard work and collaborative efforts of our Police Department and our homeless shelter operator, Friendship Shelter, have made a difference,” Laguna Beach Mayor Sue Kempf said in a statement. “While we still have significant work to be done, this data is encouraging that we are making strides in the right direction.”