By Reta Moser
I was overjoyed this morning reading the LA Times story explaining the change in the homeless statistics from what they reported earlier this month … The figures were “calculated differently” than previously reported for the City, County. I totally understood. I was thrilled.
This happened to me this week and I questioned by own ability and sanity. The web pages I referenced for last year were no longer available. I had nothing to justify the “inaccuracy” of the figures. I found out the Los Angeles Housing Services Authority (LAHSA) reinterpreted the 2013 figure meaning my figures for last year were out the window, big time. So this morning I was overjoyed and justified in my dilemma.
I will not get into the LA Times City and County figures for 2015 – 2016 other than that the LA Times revised figures show that the City had an increase of 5 percent and the County of less than half a percent. Go to the LA Times article.
From today’s LA Times article …
Mayor Eric Garcetti: “Having accurate data is fundamental to helping us better understand the scale of the problem.”
This past week I have been corresponding with a knowledgeable analyst at the Los Angeles Housing Services Authority to get the local 2016 figures. The local figures for 2016 are not ready; only the City, County totals are available.
But I found out the previous figure for 2013 got “reinterpreted.” Holy Cow!!!
2013 to 2015 Figures
Last year the Venice Update headline read LA Jumps 12 percent; CD 11 jumps 16.6 percent. Wrong!!!!! According to today’s interpretation of the figures for 2013 to 2015, CD11 jumped 70 percent; Venice jumped 43.3 percent.
CD11 had the 5th highest increase in the 15 council districts for 2013 – 2015.
The difference in the count for the homeless for Venice 2013 – 2015 is attributed to a “redesignation” of those living in vehicles. For 2013, LAHSA later attributed a figure above one for each type vehicle, which showed more homeless.
Now the 2015 does not reflect the weighted figures for vehicles. Perhaps, there will be another revision. And yes, I have double checked several times with the analyst involved and the figure stays at 1006. Each time I have brought out the discrepancy.
So the figures from 2013 to 2015 show an increase of 43.3 percent in Venice and a 70 percent increase in CD11.
Hopefully, next week the 2016 figures will be available.
A footnote to all of this is that LAHSA put out a Request for Bids for the 2017 homeless count a couple days ago. That was removed. I do believe LAHSA will be asked to re-look at all the figures for 2013, 2015, and now 2016.
Sufferin Succotash!!!!
