According to a July 2025 report from Mass Transit Magazine, homelessness on L.A. Metro’s transit system is down nearly 40% year-over-year. That’s not a typo. While the overall rate of homelessness across Los Angeles County declined by just 4%, Metro’s focused efforts led to a dramatic shift. The difference? Partnerships with boots-on-the-ground outreach teams—including our very own IMPACT Metro program.
This success wasn’t driven by enforcement or displacement. It came from Metro’s shift toward compassionate, care-based engagement, and a network of committed organizations doing the daily work to make that vision real.
Where We Come In: IMPACT Metro
Christ-Centered Ministries launched IMPACT Metro to meet the rising need for direct outreach on transit lines—where many individuals experiencing homelessness seek shelter and mobility.
Our outreach workers don’t just hand out supplies and walk away. We build trust. We follow up. We connect individuals to housing, health care, substance use treatment, crisis stabilization beds, and reentry support. We assist with transportation, meal access, hygiene kits, and even link people to mental health and recovery programs—resources that help individuals begin rebuilding their lives.
In partnership with Metro and other agencies, our team ensures every interaction is a chance to change a trajectory, not just clear a platform.
The Numbers Tell the Story
- In Fiscal Year 2025, Metro exceeded its goal by nearly 50%, helping more than 2,700 people connect to shelter or housing.
- According to Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins, the number of unhoused riders has fallen from over 1,000 in 2024 to fewer than 700 in 2025.
- That’s a 37–39% drop on trains and buses—a direct result of shifting from punishment to partnership.
This impact isn’t a lucky break. It’s the result of intentional collaboration between public agencies and nonprofits like ours, working together to meet people where they are—without judgment, without delay.
Why It Works
Care-based outreach treats homelessness as a human issue, not just a public nuisance. When our teams engage someone in a Metro station, we’re not just checking a box—we’re planting a seed of stability. We recognize that change doesn’t happen overnight. But without these first steps—a conversation, a connection, a ride to a shelter bed—it doesn’t happen at all.
Our staff know the transit system, they know the resources, and most importantly, they know how to listen. We’re not solving homelessness on our own—but we’re making a measurable difference every day.
Help Us Keep the Momentum Going
This drop in homelessness on Metro is a rare bright spot in a difficult fight—and proof that outreach works. But there’s more to be done, and we need your support to do it.
Whether you’re an individual looking to give, a funder interested in impact, or an agency ready to collaborate—this is your moment to act.
👉 Learn more, partner with us, or donate now
Let’s keep Los Angeles moving forward—one connection at a time.