L.A. County’s homeless population is growing — but not as fast as they’re dying

Dr. Coley King, who treated Raymond Thill before his death, also cares for his wife, Sherry. (Anna Gorman/Kaiser Heath News)

A record number of homeless people are dying across Los Angeles County — on bus benches, hillsides, railroad tracks and sidewalks.

Last year alone, 918 people died. And in the last five years, deaths have jumped 76%, outpacing the growth of the homeless population, according to an analysis of county coroner data by Kaiser Health News.

So far, health officials and experts have been unable to pinpoint a single cause for the increase, but say rising substance abuse may be a major reason.

The surge also reflects a rise in the number of people who are chronically homeless and who don’t typically use shelters, meaning more people are living longer on the streets with serious physical and behavioral health issues, they say.

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