Unhoused Senior Population Grows In Los Angeles As Services Are Cut

Here are the morning’s top stories on Wednesday, July 30, 2025…

• More older adults in Los Angeles are falling into homelessness. That’s according to recently released data from the region’s annual point in time count. Meanwhile, organizations that serve vulnerable seniors are being forced to cut back in the face of funding cuts. 
• California’s coastal areas are on alert after a massive earthquake Tuesday off the eastern coast of Russia.  Much of the coast remains under a tsunami advisory and there’s a portion of northern California under a tsunami warning.

LA’s Population Of Unhoused Older Adults Is Growing While Services Are Being Cut

The number of unhoused people living in and around Los Angeles is trending downward, local experts say, but that’s not the case for at least one group: older adults. In the city of L.A., the number of people aged 65 and older experiencing homelessness jumped more than 17% since last year, and more than 36% in two years, according to annual point-in-time counts.

Among the unhoused, older adults are estimated to be the fastest-growing population in California, experts say.

Meanwhile, organizations that serve older adults are pulling back on services because of budget shortfalls while bracing for the effects of the Trump administration’s cuts to Medicaid. That means people are being turned away from free food programs, senior centers and other supportive resources. And even before that, people who had housing were already struggling to keep it.

“They were having to choose between their medications, or keeping their lights on, or having food on the table, or paying their rent,” said Yvonne Sun of Special Service for Groups SILVER, an L.A.-based nonprofit that provides resources to older adults in need by meeting them where they are.

Many local organizations for older adults pay for the services they provide through grants and fundraising. But they also receive federal funding, particularly through the Older Americans Act, which was designed to boost community social services for older people. Now, the services some older Angelenos rely on are at risk.

Tsunami Waves Hit California Coast

Tsunami waves have been hitting the California coastline for much of Wednesday morning. The northern part of the state was hit especially hard. Waves grew to nearly four feet above normal in Crescent City in Del Norte County.

Crescent City Harbormaster Mike Rademaker said after a 2011 tsunami caused millions in damage to the docks, the city rebuilt the docks to be tsunami-resistant. “Notably, H dock was engineered as a wave and current attenuator with closely spaced pilings, which are specifically designed to disrupt and dissipate tsunami energy before it reaches the Inner Harbor,” he said. “So its sacrificial role in the overall design appears to have functioned as intended, absorbing the brunt of the surge, helping to protect the more interior docks.”

Rademaker said that the H dock was submerged and broke apart, causing electric sparking. But they haven’t noticed any loose or damaged boats. The estimated cost of repairs to the dock are $100,000. Vessels have been prohibited from leaving or entering the harbor as of Wednesday morning because of the dangerous conditions.

Strong waves could be seen across the state, from the northern part of California to the Bay Area and central and southern California. As of late Wednesday morning, no significant damage has been reported in other regions of the state.