October 02,2015
LOS ANGELES— Most big cities have some homelessness, but the problem is very visible in Los Angeles. City officials hope they can eradicate the problem and those who work with the homeless,say the festering issue has become a crisis.
“Homelessness has increased by about 12 to 15 percent. The street homelessness or the encampments have increased more than 80 percent,” said Joel John Roberts of the nonprofit group People Assisting the Homeless (PATH).
On streets near the airport, people live in campers and recreational vehicles, and outreach workers offer help. People make the best of a bad situation.
“We have running water in there," one homeless woman said, pointing to her vehicle. "We have a stove, an oven. We can cook. We actually have homemade dinners in there.”
For many, rents throughout the region have become sky high as the economy improves for those who are paid higher incomes.
"And the pressure of people moving in to get jobs forces people out," said Herb Smith of the Los Angeles Mission.
Getting housing is not easy, even for those who work. L.A. resident Christian Lofland has a job and an apartment but spent time on the street and faced hurdles applying for housing.
“Credit check, background check, criminal history check, sexual [offender] registry check — everything that you can imagine," he said.
The new funds will help with winter emergency shelters and other short-term measures, and those who work with the homeless say it should also include job training, counseling and substance-abuse programs to deal with the many problems of those who live on the street.