Homelessness in Los Angeles is Increasing

   

Defining Homelessness

Due to multiple different circumstances, homelessness has been increasing in Los Angeles County. Many people have been placed in this situation not by choice but simply for hardships they experience throughout their life such as addiction, mental illness, unemployment, poverty, and lack of affordable housing. It can initiate with one major setback, causing other problems to take place, suppressing people in a situation from which they will never be able to recover. According to the Homeless Hub homelessness is "...an extreme form of poverty characterized by the instability of housing and the inadequacy of income, health care supports and social supports. This definition includes people who are absolutely homeless (those living on the streets, sometimes referred to as "rough sleepers"); shelter dwellers (people staying temporarily in emergency shelters or hostels); the "hidden homeless" (people staying temporarily with friends or family), and others who are described as under-housed or "at-risk" of homelessness."  

 

What is causing homelessness to rise? 

Researchers have recognized this issue has expedited in the 20th century because poverty has increased from the economy changing. The most recent Los Angeles homeless count concluded that 66,433 people are currently living on the streets, in shelters, and in vehicles. The homeless population has increased by 12.7% from 2019. Although more people are being placed in housing facilities the numbers continue to rise (Scott). The main reason homelessness is increasing is due to rent becoming unaffordable. Many people can barely afford to pay rent since they have to "...spend less than 30% of their income on housing costs. By that definition, none of the 1.09 million extremely low-income people in California, or those who earn less than 30% of the median income in their area, can afford to live anywhere in the state, according to a new study by the California Housing Partnership"(Matt Levin, Jackie Botts, and Manuela Tobias). These households are at high risk of becoming homeless because they find themselves spending about 46.7% of their income on rent when they should not be spending more than 30% of their income on rent. The average income in Los Angeles is $54k a year. In order to afford the average monthly rent individuals must have an income of $7,272 per month and make on average $41.96 an hour which is 2.8 times higher than the minimum wage in Los Angeles (LAFH). 

Mental illness and addiction are other frequent factors among people encountering homelessness. According to an investigation done by the Los Angeles Times, about two-thirds of the Los Angeles County's inhabitants living on the streets have a mental illness or substance abuse addiction. They found that "...20% of 37,000 people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles had a clinically diagnosed serious mental illness within the last 12 years, whereas about a quarter of Los Angeles’ homeless population suffers from any mental illness" (Matt Levin, Jackie Botts, and Manuela Tobias). Hardships such as poverty, mental illness, and addiction are factors that cause people to have fallouts which can be hard to recover from. 

Other Factors

• Poverty
• Low wages
• Unemployment
• Lack of affordable housing
• Substance Abuse
• Mental health issues
• LQBTQ kids neglected by their family
• Domestic and sexual abuse
• Kids who come out of foster care

        

Reducing Homelessness

• Housing: Providing people with shelter and affordable housing is significant since permanent housing is the most successful way to end homelessness. This is the foundation in which an individual or family can receive services and support to maintain stability, start their recovery process, and accomplish their goals.
• Create Career Paths: Presenting courses that educate people about managing finances and job opportunities. It is one of the most beneficial ways to support people as they recover from homelessness increasing their opportunities in obtaining a meaningful and sustainable job.
• Build Partnerships: Preventing and ending homeless needs the contribution of the federal, state, and local jurisdictions to build a strong partnership. 
• Prevent Homelessness: Strengthening our ability to prevent homelessness must focus on housing stability, housing needs, and risks of homelessness. 
• Provide Health Care: Having the proper health care is essential in treating and managing chronic health and behavioral health conditions which have an impact on people's competence in staying sheltered and achieving their goals. Also, supporting them with substance abuse and mental health to help them get their life back. 

How can we help?

• Make cards to promote nearby homeless shelters
• Donate clothes and hygiene necessities
• Fundraise
• Volunteer to help the homeless
• Advocate 
• Seek out job opportunities 
• Campain and promote charity events
• Form a partnership with an organization to help people experiencing homelessness

Personal Connection

This issue is important to me because I have noticed more people living on the streets around my community. Every week there is another individual camping out on the street trying to find a safe place to sleep. There have been situations where the police have to remove some individuals because they are a danger to society. Some people experiencing homelessness in my community are not mentally stable and they tend to disturb the public. I am aware they are not fully aware of their actions; therefore, they should be placed in centers that will help them rehabilitate. This issue affects me because sometimes I feel unsafe in my community because they have tried entering my property and attempted to get in my vehicle. I chose this social issue because it is necessary to help people experiencing homelessness to help them restore their lives and become thriving members of our society. Reducing homelessness in our community will reduce street chaos and street waste, provide the community with better opportunities, reduce public costs, and contribute to a better piece of mind. 

Resources 

“Causes & Solutions.” LA Family Housing, https://lafh.org/causes-solutions.

Levin, Matt, et al. “California's homelessness crisis — and possible solutions — explained.” CalMatters, 31 December 2019, https://calmatters.org/explainers/californias-homelessness-crisis-explained/.

Scott, Anna. “Homelessness Rises In Los Angeles.” NPR, 12 June 2020, https://www.npr.org/2020/06/12/875888864/homelessness-in-los-angeles-county-rises-sharply.

“Solutions.” United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), https://www.usich.gov/solutions/.

“What is Homelessness?” The Homeless Hub, https://homelesshub.ca/resource/what-homelessness.