If the average temperature in LA was 10 degrees higher or 20 degrees lower, would there be no homeless people?

It's a strange thought, but I searched for "Could temperature changes affect the homeless issue?"

This question touches on a much deeper social topic than just weather, and after asking AI and doing some research, interesting results came out.

As of 2025, Los Angeles is one of the cities with the highest homeless population in the world.

But what if LA was a much hotter or much colder city? Would the number of homeless people decrease?

If it was 10 degrees Celsius hotter?

LA already has an average summer temperature around 27 degrees, and if it rises by 10 degrees, it would be nearly 40 degrees.
In that case...

  • Heat waves are a survival threat: Homeless people would be at risk of heat stroke and dehydration. It would become difficult to endure the streets during the day in summer, and shade and water would become essential for survival.

  • Increased demand for public facilities with air conditioning: The city budget would need to be spent on more cooling centers and shelters, and if this cannot be managed, the possibility of increased mortality rates.

  • Some homeless people might have moved to northern cities.

In other words, just because it's hot doesn't mean there will be no homeless people. In fact, it could lead to a more tragic situation.

If it was 20 degrees Celsius colder?

This would be quite an extreme situation. The average temperature would be close to freezing, meaning LA would be experiencing almost Chicago-level winters.

  • Outdoor homelessness would be nearly impossible: Sleeping bags wouldn't suffice, and it would be cold enough to freeze to death. In that case, the government might force people into shelters or restrict homelessness altogether.

  • The number of homeless people might decrease: Those unable to withstand the cold might move to other cities or die.

  • However, poverty itself wouldn't disappear: Just because homeless people are not visible doesn't mean the problem is solved. They would simply have hidden away.

Climate can influence the number of homeless people, but it is not the root cause

The root causes of homelessness in LA are actually structural issues like the following:

  • Ridiculous housing prices and rents

  • Lack of support for mental illness, addiction, and trauma

  • Poor access to healthcare

  • City design hostile to poor people

So even if the climate changed completely, the homeless would have only changed in appearance and would not have disappeared.

If LA were truly a city with temperatures of minus 10 degrees? You probably wouldn't see people camping out in tents like now. The fear of the cold might have prompted quicker improvements in housing policies and welfare systems.

However, the fundamental solution to reduce the existing homeless population is still a problem. Ultimately, it's something that social members need to work on together.

The issue is how much the LA community moves for vulnerable groups, not just the numbers on the thermometer.