Record number of homeless people dying in L.A.



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Skyscrapers in the Los Angeles financial district are visible behind a tent camp on September 23, 2015 in downtown Los Angeles. (Credit: Robyn Beck / AFP / Getty Images)

Skyscrapers in the Los Angeles financial district are visible behind a tent camp on September 23, 2015 in downtown Los Angeles. (Credit: Robyn Beck / AFP / Getty Images)

A record number of homeless people are dying in Los Angeles County – on bus benches, hillsides, railroads and sidewalks.

Last year alone, 918 people died. And over the last five years, deaths have jumped 76%, outpacing the growth of the homeless population, according to an analysis of county coroner data by Kaiser Health News.

Until now, health officials and experts have been unable to determine a single cause of the increase, but they claim that the increase in substance abuse may be a major reason.

This increase also reflects the increase in the number of homeless people who do not generally use shelters, which means that more and more people are living longer on the streets and are suffering from serious physical and behavioral health problems.

Read the full story on LATimes.com.

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