LA County calls for strategy to address homelessness near major sporting venues

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors directed its staff Tuesday develop a regional strategy by December 2025 for addressing homelessness in areas where major sporting events — including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, 2027 Super Bowl and 2028 Olympics — are scheduled to take place.

“The surge in international tourism, and the need to establish adequate security perimeters, will also put pressure on the region to address homeless encampments near the venues and neighborhoods hosting these events,” according to a motion by Supervisors Hilda Solis and Janice Hahn.

“Efforts to address homelessness in advance of international sporting events in other jurisdictions have had uneven results, leading to accusations that governments are busing unhoused individuals to the outskirts of host cities without addressing the underlying lack of shelter capacity.”

The motion approved by the board calls for the development of a written regional strategy “to increase and sustain the capacity to address unsheltered homelessness around areas where major sporting events will take place.”

The motion states the county already has several tools at its disposal to address encampments, noting that the Pathway Home program has cleared 17 encampments and 465 recreational vehicles near the venues in the cities of Los Angeles, Inglewood and Long Beach, including 749 people who were moved into interim housing.

The county also partners with the city of Los Angeles on Mayor Karen Bass’ Inside Safe program, which has brought almost 3,000 Angelenos into housing situations since its launch in late 2022, according to the motion.

“In advance of the upcoming sporting events, it is imperative that Los Angeles County and our local jurisdictional partners have a plan to effectively and humanely address encampments, with a strategy that prioritizes housing and services for our most vulnerable residents,” the motion states.

The report is also expected to include budget estimates and recommendations for ways area stakeholders can support the implementation of the strategy.

Relevant stakeholders such as the city of Los Angeles, LA 2028, the Executive Committee on Regional Homelessness Alignment, Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority and others are expected to collaborate on the report.