Extreme heat has emerged as a major public health hazard in LA County. Rising temperatures, longer heat seasons, and more frequent heat waves are placing greater strain on public health systems and disproportionately affecting populations with limited ability to avoid exposure. Unhoused individuals are widely recognized as among the most vulnerable during heat events, yet population-level evidence documenting how extreme heat is experienced, how it affects health, and how people cope remains limited. Much of the existing evidence relies on emergency department data or mortality records, which capture only the most severe outcomes and overlook the everyday health burdens of heat exposure.
This brief examines the extent and consequences of extreme heat exposure among unhoused Angelenos using monthly survey data from the Periodic Assessment of Trajectories of Housing, Homelessness and Health Study (PATHS) collected during the summer and early fall of 2025. We document patterns of heat exposure, heat-related symptoms, coping strategies, and access to information and resources. Understanding how extreme heat affects unhoused communities, including where existing systems may fall short, is critical for informing heat preparedness, service delivery, and climate adaptation strategies as extreme heat becomes an increasingly common feature of life in LA.