Greater LA homeless count delayed due to omicron surge

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The greater Los Angeles point-in-time homeless count for 2022 has been postponed to late February due to the surge in cases of COVID-19 caused by the omicron variant. The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority on Friday cited the need to protect the health of volunteers, staff and homeless people. The count will be conducted Feb. 22-24 instead of Jan. 25-27. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires the counts to determine federal funding to address homelessness. The count was last conducted in 2020 and tallied 66,436 living on streets in tents, makeshift dwellings, and vehicles across Los Angeles County. The Orange County count has also been rescheduled.