Number of homeless in downtown Long Beach drops

This post has been corrected. See the note at the bottom for details.

The number of homeless people living in downtown Long Beach has dropped by 12% over the last two years, according to results from a recent survey.

The findings show that in 2009 there were 345 homeless people living downtown, compared to 303 this year. The drop reportedly helped save up to $1.4 million in emergency room costs and up to $500,000 in medical service costs for the city's healthcare system.

The surveys are part of a national initiative to permanently house the most vulnerable homeless people throughout the country. Nearly 100 cities have joined the campaign, including Long Beach Connections, a group comprised of city and county leaders, residents, businesses, public safety agencies and nonprofit organizations devoted to reducing homelessness.

Officials announced the results of the initiative at a Wednesday morning news conference outside City Hall, according to a news release.