Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt is drawing attention for claims that a majority of the city’s homeless population originates from outside California, a statement he made during a recent appearance on Bill Maher’s podcast that has reignited debate over the causes of homelessness in Los Angeles.
Speaking with Maher, Pratt argued that many homeless individuals in Los Angeles were not originally from California and alleged that nonprofit organizations and treatment programs help bring them to the state.
“Ready for the best part? Sixty percent of the people in Los Angeles that are ‘experiencing homelessness,’ they’re not from California! They’ve been brought here by NGOs that profit off of this homeless industrial complex,” Pratt said.
When Maher questioned the claim, Pratt doubled down, arguing that so-called “body brokers” transport people struggling with addiction to Los Angeles because of the availability of treatment programs and government benefits.
“They’ve been brought here,” Pratt said. “Body brokers bring these people here from all across the country. If you’re an addict you can come to LA and get these rehabs and because you have Medicaid, Social Security.”
Maher suggested that California’s climate and extensive social services may naturally attract some homeless individuals compared to states with harsher weather conditions and fewer support programs. Pratt acknowledged he did not know precisely where people were coming from but said he had personally spoken with numerous formerly homeless individuals who told him they had relocated to California from other states.
The issue of where homeless individuals originate has long been a point of contention in Los Angeles politics, with residents and officials often debating whether the city’s homelessness crisis is primarily homegrown or fueled by migration from elsewhere.
Research generally shows that most homeless Californians were already living in the state before losing housing. A major study conducted by the University of California, San Francisco’s Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative found that roughly 90 percent of surveyed homeless individuals became homeless while already residing in California. The study also found that approximately three-quarters remained in the same county where they had last maintained stable housing.
However, data specific to Los Angeles County presents a somewhat more nuanced picture.
A 2020 report from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority found that roughly one-third of unsheltered homeless individuals in Los Angeles County became homeless outside the county. More recently, a 2024 RAND Corporation study focusing on areas including Hollywood, Venice, and Skid Row found that 41 percent of surveyed homeless individuals had last been housed somewhere other than Los Angeles County.
Those figures suggest that while a significant share of Los Angeles’ homeless population may have migrated from elsewhere, most did not necessarily come from outside California.
Homelessness has become a central issue in Pratt’s mayoral campaign. He has repeatedly argued that addiction, particularly involving fentanyl and methamphetamine, is a major driver of the crisis and has criticized approaches focused primarily on housing.
Instead, Pratt has advocated a “treatment first” strategy, arguing that substance abuse and mental health issues must be addressed before long-term housing solutions can succeed.
