The Impact of Homelessness By: Daniel Rodriguez

The Impact of Homelessness 
By:
Daniel Rodriguez

April 17, 2024

What is the problem?

Homelessness is a major issue in many communities in the city of Los Angeles. According to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (2023), Los Angeles had an increase of 9% in homelessness for a given night and an increase of 10% for the city of Los Angeles. There appears to be a steady increase in homelessness in the city. Homelessness includes two types: sheltered and unsheltered. Sheltered includes people living in group shelters or hotels while unsheltered includes people who live in vehicles or tents. According to LAIST (2023), homeless individuals in the Los Angeles area is 55,155 people who are unsheltered while 20,363 are sheltered. These findings indicate that more people live in vehicles than in tents, this is especially true for those living in vans which show an increase of 44%. These reports also show that 30% of these individuals reported having some form of substance abuse and 25% reported having a mental illness.

Why is it important?

 Homelessness continues to be a major concern due to several factors. The rising cost of living and housing has contributed to the increase in homelessness. Low-income people have limited housing options making it difficult to maintain affordable housing. They may also struggle to pay for necessities such as food and clothing which makes it hard to pay rent that is visually very high. Recent rising inflation has also made it extremely difficult for low-income families which may lead to homelessness. According to NPR (Ludden, 2023), individuals who rent spend at least 30% to 50% of their income making it hard to rent and still afford to pay other bills. Mental health has also caused many individuals to be homeless. Medical bills for many people especially those with disabilities often struggle to pay bills and often will end up in a homeless situation.

The social and economic impact of homelessness can be both immediate and long-term. The total cost of homelessness has seriously impacted our community. Tax-funded programs such as shelters, the use of emergency rooms, and police have been shown to have increased tremendously. Resources from these programs are costly to our communities. The immediate effects include health hazards which may include diseases in the community. Children who are homeless may also have long-term effects. These effects can prove to be negative when these children lack health care and education. The use of emergency rooms and law enforcement can also be very costly to taxpayers.

The Homelessness Initiative (2024) has reported that the Board of Supervisors approved a $783 million spending plan to help with homelessness. This plan includes a Pathway Home which helps take individuals out of encampments and puts them into interim housing. This program supports these individuals by providing services and resources aimed at leading them to permanent housing. This will also provide them with medical services that include drug treatment and therapy.

Why it Matters?

Los Angeles has one of the largest homeless populations in the United States, with tens of thousands of individuals experiencing homelessness. This issue matters to me because homelessness has been a big issue for me. After all, it has also affected my community. The issue of safety when it comes to homelessness is important to me personally and to other members of my community. People want to feel safe when they walk through their community and visit local businesses. Homelessness can also impact public resources. These affect our local government when funds are used for emergency services, shelters, and healthcare/ They can also affect our public negatively because they impact our local businesses and our property values. Most importantly homelessness gives public health concerns since they are unable to access sanitation facilities. Homelessness also contributes to public health risks, including the spread of infectious diseases. Homelessness has been an issue within my community. Issues such as panhandling, substance abuse, and crime can arise in areas with high concentrations of homeless individuals, impacting the quality of life for residents.

Community Responses

Susana.M

"Sometimes I feel comfortable walking down the street and unsure whether I feel safe when I see people living in their tents. I also do not like having rows of parked cars and campers of people who are living in them. I understand that they need help but also need to stop throwing trash, but also affect our community by not cleaning up after themselves".

Vanessa. L

"I am affected by the homelessness issue because it is hard to see people struggle, I think our community should start a group to build more homes for the homeless and help clean the streets of Los Angeles. The community could also start organizations and accept donations for the homeless".

Work Cited

 CVillacorte. (2024, February 6). Home. Homeless Initiative. https://homeless.lacounty.gov/news/emergency-response-spending-      plan/#:~:text=The%20Board%20of%20Supervisors%20unanimously,while%20investing%20in%20critical%20programs.

    Gerda, N. (2023, July 19). Your guide to understanding homelessness in La. LAist. https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/understanding-homelessness-crisis-los-angeles-california-unhoused

Lahsa releases results of 2023 Greater Los Angeles Homeless count. Go to main LAHSA website. (n.d.). https://www.lahsa.org/news?article=927-lahsa-releases-results-of-2023-greater-los-angeles-homeless-count#:~:text=LOS%20ANGELES%20%E2%80%93%20The%202023%20Greater,to%20an%20estimated%2046%2C260%20people.

Ludden, J. (2023, July 12). Why can’t we stop homelessness? 4 reasons why there’s no end in sight. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2023/07/12/1186856463/homelessness-rent-affordable-housing-encampments

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