{"id":435938,"date":"2025-12-09T16:13:12","date_gmt":"2025-12-09T16:13:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/435938\/"},"modified":"2025-12-09T16:13:12","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T16:13:12","slug":"food-insecurity-remains-high-in-l-a-county-but-who-it-affects-is-changing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/435938\/","title":{"rendered":"Food insecurity remains high in L.A. County, but who it affects is changing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Food insecurity continues to affect a significant share of Los Angeles County residents, with one in four households (24%) reporting difficulty affording enough food in 2025, according to a study<\/a> from the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. This rate is essentially unchanged from 2024, underscoring the persistent challenges many Angelenos face amid high living costs, ongoing recovery from January\u2019s wildfires, and shifting federal food assistance policies.<\/p>\n

Despite the overall stability, the study \u2014 spearheaded by USC Dornsife Public Exchange<\/a> \u2014 reveals a more complex picture below the surface. Low-income households saw notable improvements, while others continued to struggle as affordability pressures mounted.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese findings show both encouraging progress and emerging pressures,\u201d said Kayla de la Haye<\/a>, the study\u2019s lead author and director of the Food Systems Institute<\/a> at USC Dornsife\u2019s Center for Economic and Social Research<\/a>. \u201cEven as food insecurity decreases among low-income households, the burden is shifting. Many Angelenos outside the safety net are struggling to keep up with rising costs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Progress for low-income households reflects recent investments<\/p>\n

The decline in food insecurity among low-income residents marks the second consecutive year of improvement. Researchers note that recent countywide investments \u2014 including more than $20 million in Food Equity Fund grants to more than 80 organizations and the establishment of the L.A. County Office of Food Systems \u2014 may be contributing to greater access to affordable, nutritious food.<\/p>\n

Nutrition insecurity \u2014 the lack of consistent access to healthy, safe and culturally appropriate foods \u2014 also improved substantially. Rates fell from 29% in 2024 to 21% in 2025, suggesting notable gains in residents\u2019 access to healthy foods, even as prices remain high.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese positive shifts likely reflect the collective impact of local initiatives,\u201d de la Haye said. \u201cBut they also show the importance of sustained investment, especially as federal food assistance cuts begin rolling out next year.\u201d<\/p>\n

A shift in who struggles to afford food<\/p>\n

As food insecurity among low-income residents declined, higher-income households now make up a larger percentage of Angelenos experiencing food insecurity \u2014 a change researchers attribute to the region\u2019s steep cost of living. Low-income residents remain the most affected overall, but higher-income Angelenos now represent a larger share than in previous years.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are families who often don\u2019t qualify for safety net programs like CalFresh,\u201d de la Haye said. \u201cThey\u2019re earning above eligibility thresholds but still struggling to meet the cost of living in L.A.\u201d<\/p>\n

CalFresh remains essential \u2014 but insufficient for many households<\/p>\n

CalFresh, California\u2019s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is the state\u2019s largest tool for reducing food insecurity, providing grocery benefits to more than 1 million L.A. County residents each month. But many recipients still struggle to afford enough food.<\/p>\n

In October 2025, 44% of CalFresh participants in L.A. County were food insecure, indicating that current benefit levels are not always adequate to meet rising food and living costs. Researchers note that this is especially concerning as federal cuts to this program take effect in 2026.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese data highlight how essential CalFresh is \u2014 and how many households rely on it \u2014 but also where gaps remain,\u201d de la Haye said. \u201cEven with assistance, many families in L.A. County are unable to consistently purchase enough nutritious food.\u201d<\/p>\n

Recommendations to strengthen food access in 2026<\/p>\n

Based on their findings, the research team identifies several strategies that could help improve food and nutrition security across L.A. County as costs continue to rise and federal benefit reductions take effect. These include:<\/p>\n