Key findings
- As of May 2025, 1,644 licensed residential care facilities for the elderly operated in Los Angeles County, with 43,145 licensed beds.
- 83% of them (1,359 homes) are small board and care homes with six or fewer beds. The median home is licensed for 6 residents.
- From 2021 through 2024, 698 homes were newly licensed and 660 closed: about 95 closures for every 100 openings.
- Small homes make up 83% of licensed homes and 85% of closures since June 2020. Closed homes had been licensed for a median of 5.5 years.
- 206 more facilities had applications pending, 90% of them six beds or fewer.
- The San Fernando Valley holds 611 licensed homes, 37% of the county total.
Homes open and close at almost the same pace
Los Angeles County's supply of licensed care homes looks stable from year to year, but the stability hides constant turnover. Between 2021 and 2024 the state licensed 698 new facilities in the county and 660 closed. In 2021 more homes closed than opened. In 2024, openings led by 59.
| Year | Newly licensed | Closed | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 162 | 212 | -50 |
| 2022 | 161 | 155 | +6 |
| 2023 | 172 | 149 | +23 |
| 2024 | 203 | 144 | +59 |
In the first months of 2025 covered by the extract, 86 homes were newly licensed and 53 closed.
Small homes drive both closures and new supply
Of the 804 county facilities in the file that closed since June 2020, 685 (85%) were homes of six beds or fewer, roughly in line with their 83% share of all licensed homes. Among closed homes, the median time from first license to closing was 5.5 years. Small homes are also where new supply is coming from: 90% of the 206 pending applications are for six beds or fewer.
57% of the homes licensed today were first licensed in 2019 or later.
What it means for families
- Lists go stale fast. A directory or a list from a hospital that is even a year old will include homes that have closed and miss homes that have opened. Always confirm a license is current before you visit.
- Newer is not worse, older is not better. A long license history is no guarantee of quality, and many new homes are run by experienced operators. Read the inspection reports either way.
- Ask about ownership changes. A home that has changed hands may be under a new license.
Our guide to checking a license shows how.
Where the homes are
The 15 communities with the most licensed homes
Communities follow the Los Angeles Times Mapping L.A. boundaries. Browse all communities.
Method and limits
We used the California Department of Social Services Community Care Licensing file for residential care facilities for the elderly, filtered to Los Angeles County. Openings count facilities by the year of their first license, among facilities still in the file (licensed, on probation, or closed). The file includes closed facilities only from June 2020 onward, so we compare openings and closures only for full years 2021 through 2024. A change of ownership can appear as a closing and a new license. Full detail is on our methods page.
Cite or republish
Journalists, researchers and community organizations are welcome to use these findings with attribution and a link to this page.
GentlePlacement, "The state of board and care in Los Angeles County, 2026," https://gentleplacement.com/reports/la-county-board-and-care-2026/, analysis of California Department of Social Services licensing data (extract dated May 25, 2025).