Letter: LAHSA responses to RAND research on homeless counts
The commentary by RAND scientist Louis Abramson regarding the 2025 Homeless Count (“LAHSA’s Homeless Count Undercounts the Most Vulnerable,” Oct. 21) raises points worth discussing, and it’s also vital to contextualize the count’s role.
The Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count, conducted by LAHSA as the lead for LA’s Continuum of Care, spans over 3,000 census tracts across LA County, and HUD approves its methodology to ensure nationwide consistency. This consistency is key to tracking change over time.
It is significant that both the LAHSA and RAND counts confirm the same vital trend: homelessness in LA County is declining.
While the Homeless Count is a standardized tool, it isn’t the last word. The single most important source for systems planning is the robust, direct service data collected year-round. Our Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) gathers real-time data on individuals’ specific situations and service needs. This 365-day data allows us to precisely track needs and responsibly adjust service delivery with limited funding. This data is available to funders and can be used to make funding decisions.
LAHSA welcomes critical analysis and the opportunity to compare findings with RAND. We invite their experts to volunteer in future counts—as other groups do—and to respond to our forthcoming RFP to serve as LAHSA’s technical partner for 2027-2029. Collaboration and utilizing all the data we collect are the best paths forward.
Paul Rubenstein, Deputy Chief of External Relations at the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority