In a push that underscores the City of Malibu's commitment to alleviating the crisis of people without roofs over their heads, recent figures point to an ongoing decrease in homelessness. These numbers, released by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), indicate a marginal countywide decline in homelessness, with a sharp 19% decrease reported in Service Planning Area 5, as reported by Malibu City. The headcount in Malibu itself shows a minimal uptick to 69 individuals, a count that the City attributes to technical issues with the Homeless Count app during initial assessments.
Emphasizing the City's strategy, Mayor Doug Stewart, according to the official Malibu City announcement, said, "Our proactive, service- driven approach recognizes the need to provide meaningful services and help people off the streets and into housing, as well as the need to address the impacts to public safety, public health and quality of life that homelessness has on our community." With the aid of 18 volunteers and the City's Homeless Outreach Team partnering with The People Concern, data collection took place on January 24, covering city limits to identify those living without stable shelter.
Reflecting on the trends since 2016, the reduction in homelessness appears consistent, from a high of 239 people in 2020 down to 69 in 2024, despite a canceled count in 2021, when an informal tally was nonetheless completed. This continued decline seemingly affirms the efficacy of Malibu's approach to addressing homelessness. Collaboration with the Malibu Homeless Outreach Team and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has resulted in the proactive removal of encampments, their residents given advance notice and offered services, shelter, or housing, and then the sites cleaned environmentally, as per the City of Malibu.
