World News

Unhoused Community Left Behind in LA Wildfire Response 

By Vivi Orum '28 in Winter 2025

Would you be able to decide who deserves shelter and who does not? Los Angeles has a large existing unhoused population. According to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, just over 75,000 people were experiencing homelessness as of January 2024. This staggering statistic has been exacerbated by the recent devastating fires, leading to a large-scale displacement of individuals in Los Angeles. The fires affected thousands of homeowners in Los Angeles County, with close to 200,000 people ordered to evacuate, causing a monumental strain on resources and shelters for evacuees. But what if you never received an evacuation order? This was the case for many unhoused people in Los Angeles.

Along with many other tragedies during the Los Angeles wildfire disaster, a lack of equity arose among already marginalized communities. While volunteers assessed the state of an already vacated neighborhood, they discovered that word of the mandatory evacuation had not reached the unhoused population. Many people experiencing homelessness do not own phones or have access to the internet, which made them the last to know about the fires whose effects were detrimental to their health.

The shelters' increased need and overcrowding have led people to prioritize certain individuals above others. Many unhoused people were refused from the shelters while displaced homeowners were welcomed. Numerous people in the unhoused community lost all of their belongings as well, but as they have no insurance and no permanent address, it’s nearly impossible for them to qualify for assistance from the state and federal government. 

Another complication is the destruction of several interim housing communities. This loss is a tremendous setback for people who are trying to overcome homelessness. Moreover, rental prices, which may have been within reach for some, are now skyrocketing as homeowners seek temporary housing. 

In a culture where it is already inherently difficult for unhoused people to become successful, the influx of people who are experiencing homelessness due to this natural disaster is a devastating reality that Los Angeles County will need to navigate. It will require assistance from more than just the residents of Los Angeles County to overcome these tremendous setbacks, it will take all of us as a society to rethink how we assess value and worth and what that says about us.