Another 44 people “without fixed abode” died in February 2023, 92 already for the year, the same as last year but more than 2.7X that in 2019. In response to the clear increase in homeless deaths in recent years, the County released its findings on the causes of the increase. Yes, fentanyl was found to be related to 144 of the 395 homeless deaths in 2021, but surprisingly the effects of petty incarceration were found to be even more deadly. 242 of the 395 people who had died homeless in OC in 2021 had been incarcerated but for less than one month, and 168 of those who had died in 2021 had been incarcerated for less than one week.
