Study warns up to 6,000 unhoused residents may be forced out for 2028 Olympics
Researchers from USC and UCLA estimate that nearly 6,000 people experiencing homelessness could be displaced as security zones are established around Los Angeles' 2028 Olympic venues.
A joint analysis by social scientists at USC and UCLA calculated that about 5,975 unhoused individuals live within a mile of the planned Olympic sites in Los Angeles, a number that could rise or fall depending on the exact security perimeter. The study, described as a preliminary estimate, aims to spark discussion about humane management of the city’s large homeless population during the Games. While Los Angeles city and county leaders admit a plan is needed, no specific agency or individual has been named to oversee relocation or shelter provision.
Security zones will be defined by a public-safety consortium headed by the U.S. Secret Service, with varying impacts: a half-mile radius would affect 2,191 people, whereas a two-mile radius could displace up to 15,988. The researchers note that additional displacement could occur in Long Beach, Pasadena and around the Olympic Village at UCLA, which were not included in the current estimate. Advocates warn that without a credible shelter and services plan, the Olympics could exacerbate the plight of the city’s most vulnerable residents.
Why it matters
The Olympics could force thousands of unhoused people out of their neighborhoods without a clear shelter plan.
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