The number of homeless people across the United States has grown, and 30 percent of them live in California. In 2023, the city of Los Angeles officially became the new so-called “homeless capital of the United States” overtaking New York. Our correspondent Ediz Tiyansan reports.

A U.S. government study recently released shows a 12 percent increase last year in the number of homeless people across the United States. That’s about 70,000 more people.

Thirty percent live in California. In 2023, the city of Los Angeles was given the dubious distinction of being the so-called “homeless capital of the United States” overtaking New York. Our correspondent Ediz Tiyansan reports.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass says more than 22,000 people were moved into temporary shelters in 2023 — a 28 percent increase from the year before.The number of people put in interim housing is about 2,000 and only 255 have been lucky enough to get permanent housing — that’s after $67 million spent by the city’s homeless services over the past year.