A new Metro study shows that more than 500 homeless people are kicked off trains and buses every night at Los Angeles County stations.

The study also shows which stops leave the most homeless.

In December, the City of Long Beach became concerned about the number of homeless people who went out each night in downtown Long Beach. They thought the numbers were high.

So they asked Metro to reconsider its “end of line” policy, but now a new study shows other stops have much higher numbers.

Downtown Long Beach was considered the busiest stop where homeless people were kicked out each night.

Business owners captured the moment police clear trains every night.

“I don’t feel safe,” resident Steve Sous said.

The owners were concerned about the increase in the number of homeless people who hung around their stores and slept in doorways.

“I feel bad for these people. I wish they had a better place to go,” resident Tom Butler said.

But a Metro study says those numbers are low compared to other system shutdowns.

From December to April, an average of 39 homeless people were counted on the Blue Line from downtown Long Beach to the end of the road at night.

Union Station Red Line had the highest overnight average with 137 people evicted, followed by North Hollywood Red Line with 112.

On 7th Street in downtown Los Angeles, at the intersection of the red and purple lines, 93 people were evicted at the end of the night.

In total, some 555 homeless people got off the trains each night.


Telemundo 52

“I think they just need more security on the trains,” resident Cathy Macias said.

According to Metro, 64% of homeless people surveyed are “willing and ready to connect to services and/or housing.”

Metro is looking to hire two new outreach crews to work at stops in hopes of helping homeless commuters.

The agency is also pursuing the establishment of a “homeless help center” at one of its end-of-line stops to provide shelter and assistance.

This idea received mixed reactions from residents and the City of Long Beach, which requested that it not be within the city limits.

Many wonder how many homeless people would actually use it. Others feared having a center in their backyard.

Metro is ready to make recommendations on solutions for this summer.

This story first appeared on Telemundo 52’s sister station NBCLA. Click here to read this story in English.

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