Women & Children Make up 40 Percent of Los Angeles County's Homeless

More than 40 percent of Los Angeles County's homeless population are women and children, a situation expected to worsen in the years ahead unless immediate action is taken, according to a United Way survey released recently at the Women Leaders Summit in Los Angeles.

On any given night, 21,000 women and 15,000 children are estimated to be homeless in the county, with nearly 90 percent unable to find a homeless shelter—instead, sleeping in everything from cars to abandoned buildings, the survey noted.

The problem is worst in the San Gabriel Valley, where there are just 214 beds for 10,500 homeless people—or only one shelter bed for every 48 homeless, according to the survey.

The LA County Board of Supervisors this year allocated $100 million to increase homeless shelters and services, but officials say the problem is escalating quickly.

"One of the big changes is that women have become more independent and on their own," said Marge Nichols, who authored the report. "And they are also on their own when they run into really big trouble. They may not have the family supports that were available in earlier times."

Although women have made progress in obtaining jobs and college degrees and in opening more small businesses, the report found that the percentage of single mothers with children living in poverty increased from 37 percent in 1990 to 40 percent currently. Among married couples with children, 11 percent live in poverty.

For information on the report, click here.