To the editor: Doug Smith’s article exposes a tough reality: Regardless of file spending, Los Angeles continues to battle with seen homelessness (“The L.A. homeless depend misses individuals who aren’t in tents or vehicles, a brand new Rand examine finds,” Oct. 16).
Mayor Karen Bass campaigned on a promise to deal with homelessness as an emergency, pledging to carry tens of 1000’s indoors, lower purple tape and construct housing quicker. However, regardless of the $1.3 billion allotted towards the difficulty, the outcomes fall far wanting her guarantees. Even the Rand examine cited within the article reveals the annual homeless depend misses many “tough sleepers” — folks with out tents or vehicles who dwell totally uncovered. If the depend underreports, we’re congratulating ourselves on paper whereas the disaster deepens in actual life.
Throughout Los Angeles, residents see little seen change. I work in an space the place this disconnect is painfully clear. The constructing subsequent door to my workplace, as soon as a small motel and restaurant, was just lately transformed right into a homeless shelter, straight throughout the road from a highschool. It was carried out with out the enter of oldsters and enterprise homeowners. Now, the encompassing sidewalks are lined with folks sleeping outside — precisely what these packages have been meant to stop.
The Inside Secure method, whereas well-intentioned, has largely relied on short-term motel stays as an alternative of making lasting housing. Many people cycle again to the streets after a number of weeks as a result of there’s no follow-up help or everlasting placement.
Mayor Bass deserves credit score for focusing consideration and funding on homelessness, however the outcomes present a system that spends massively whereas managing, not fixing, the disaster. If we really wish to scale back homelessness — not simply relocate it — town should implement its personal zoning legal guidelines, monitor spending rigorously and prioritize actual housing options over momentary fixes.
Hua Gu, Calabasas
