As the lead agency in the Los Angeles Continuum of Care (CoC), LAHSA coordinates our region's efforts to gather numerical and demographic information about those in our communities without a place to live. Gathering such information is a substantial task in the City & County of Los Angeles, the most populous county in the United States, with a population of nearly 10 million and a physical area of more than 4,000 square miles.

LAHSA has conducted three major studies of homelessness in Los Angeles in 2005, 2007 and 2009. The data gathered from these studies are extremely valuable in our mission to end homelessness. The results are used to:

• Obtain a reliable estimate of the homeless population in the City & County of Los Angeles, as well as an array of demographic information about homeless people;
• Demonstrate our region’s need for federal funding;
• Raise public awareness about the issue of homelessness;
• Accurately identify the needs of homeless populations;
• Measure performance in eliminating homelessness; and
• Improve and redirect the types of housing and services needed to eliminate homelessness.