NPR

Fewer Homeless Veterans On LA's Streets

The city's most recent homeless count showed that the veteran homeless population had declined 18 percent. But some advocates caution that veteran homelessness is an ever-changing dynamic.
Jesse Henderson (left), an Army veteran, walks Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles looking for homeless veterans. His job is to try and connect them with support resources, including transitional housing, offered by the nonprofit U.S.Vets.

The lack of affordable housing is at the forefront of the homeless crisis in Los Angeles County. But the city's annual point-in-time homeless count, released on June 1, showed that the veteran homeless population had declined 18 percent.

On this particular morning, Jesse Henderson is canvasing Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. He's quick to point out this is not the stretch of the boulevard popular with tourists. Far from it. There's a certain vigilance and purpose in his stride. Understandable when you learn that the 39-year-old Army veteran did two tours in

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR2 min read
Tesla Recalls Cybertruck Over Sticky Problem. Blame It On — Yes — Soap
Accelerator pedals on the new Cybertrucks can get stuck, a potentially dangerous production flaw. The reason why they're so sticky is soap.
NPR1 min read
Amsterdam Was Flooded With Tourists In 2023, So It Won't Allow Any More Hotels
Twenty-six hotels that already have permits can move forward, but after that a hotel can only be built if one shuts down. Tourists spent about 20.7 million nights in Amsterdam hotels last year.
NPR3 min readDiet & Nutrition
What World War II Taught Us About How To Help Starving People Today
The modern study of the starvation was sparked by the liberation of concentration camp survivors. U.S. and British soldiers rushed to feed them — and yet they sometimes perished.

Related