Chronic Homelessness

Slightly more than half of the city’s homeless population is experiencing chronic homelessness (53%).

While people experiencing chronic homelessness tend to be more visible in public spaces due to their long-term housing and health needs, they do not make up the entire homeless population. Slightly more than half of the city’s homeless population is experiencing chronic homelessness (53%). These individuals have been homeless for at least one year and live with a disabling condition.

People experiencing chronic homelessness are generally older than the overall homeless population in Pasadena. In fact, 78% were aged 40 and up compared to 42% of the entire homeless population.

Interestingly, this group was more likely to have been involved in the foster care system (21% vs.16%) and were also more likely to report experiencing homelessness for the first time between the ages of 18-24 compared to people who were experiencing episodic or situational homelessness (25% vs.16%).

Among those experiencing chronic homelessness, Black or American Indian/Alaskan Native people were overrepresented. A third of people experiencing chronic homelessness were Black (33%) compared to 30% of people not experiencing chronic homelessness. All American Indian/Alaskan Native people experiencing homelessness were experiencing chronic homelessness. In contrast, White or Hispanic/Latino people experiencing chronic homelessness were underrepresented compared to those not experiencing chronic homelessness (43% vs. 51% and 36% vs. 52%, respectively).

Despite common perception, the people on our streets are also Pasadena residents, albeit unhoused. An estimated 71% of our chronically homeless neighbors reported living in Pasadena before losing their home and had lived in the city for an average of 21 years. Further, two-thirds (67%) of people experiencing chronic homelessness did not sleep in any other city in the week prior to the count.