Orange County Sees 28 Percent Increase in Homeless Population Since 2022

The report indicated that substance abuse was the leading disabling condition among the unsheltered, while mental illness was among the sheltered.

Homeless individuals in Santa Ana, Calif., on Sept. 18, 2023. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

Homelessness in California’s Orange County has increased 28 percent since 2022, according to the 2024 biennial point-in-time count released May 8.

According to the count’s results, the county had 7,322 homeless individuals, of which 43 percent were sheltered, and 57 percent were unsheltered.