The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority reported Wednesday that 6,000 homeless young people like Pope were tallied across the county in January, a 61% increase over the 2016 total. The homeless services agency improved the youth count, Executive Director Peter Lynn said, which could account for part of the jump. But Heidi Calmus of Covenant House California, an international youth homeless services agency with a branch in Hollywood, said the sharp increase was no surprise. Reyes said the homeless youth she sees in the street are getting younger and younger. “I’m always running into kids who say, ‘I’m really 15’ and I’m like, ‘Why are you out here?’ They’re like, ‘My mom is a really bad mom,’” Reyes said.

Source: Los Angeles Times June 01, 2017 09:56 UTC