The Los Angeles Times reported recently that the issue of homelessness is on the menu of discussion for their state’s politicians. It goes well with dessert and drinks at the trendy North Hollywood Garland Hotel as city leaders took questions from a slew of business owners annoyed that homelessness appears to have risen 12% since 2013 (LA Times). Translation: homelessness is interfering with their business an additional 12% from two years ago.
“Public safety and poverty (LA TIMES)” were the key reasons cited for the concern. According to Nancy Hoffman Vanyek, Chief Executive of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, "It's such a big issue because if someone comes to your business and they don't feel safe, then they don't want to come in." So, could one conclude that California leaders care about homelessness first and foremost because of customers being inconvenienced?
Noteworthy at the meeting was the rather callous tone towards the homeless that sitting councilmen seemed to have as they responded to their elite business constituents. It was the plight of the wealthy—not the wasting—that was uppermost in their minds.
“One of the things that keeps me up at night, I have to say, is public safety," Councilwoman Nancy Martinez said.
It could be interpreted by her remarks that what keeps Councilwoman Martinez up at night isn’t the fact that 20% of America’s homeless exist in California. Nor did she reference first that “nearly 270,000 students experienced homelessness in California, representing 21% percent of the homeless students in the United States (Hyatt). Rather, she seems to represent what the majority of the council feels, including Mayor Garcetti: homelessness is alarming and a crisis because it interferes with their otherwise happy lives.
At some point however, be it sobering statistics or one too many angry phone calls from campaign donors, L.A.’s city council went from nodding passively yet suitably grim on cue to actively ready to talk about it more with an action plan at least in mind. Although the funds have not been approved yet, the council announced with great fanfare that they were dedicating $100 million of the city’s budget to combat the ‘homelessness crisis’ in their city.
"These are our fellow Angelinos," the mayor said. "They are those who have no other place to go, and they are literally here where we work, a symbol of our city's intense crisis," said Mayor Eric Garcetti (New York Daily News).
According to the New York Daily News, the homeless could be seen dozing like disinterested stray animals not far from where the mayor gave his grandiose announcement. Like a footnote in a research paper, “Six blocks away (as the next councilman gave his remarks), on the city's notorious Skid Row, thousands more live permanently in tents, makeshift cardboard shelters and sometimes just on the sidewalk itself.”
Despite the promised money for possible affordable housing in the future, these people at this moment still sit in conditions most Americans associate with third world countries. Perhaps the city council could be congratulated for at least thinking in the right direction. But while they think about what they can say in their next speech, others are working hard to help.
Those organizations include the Salvation Army, among many others, that can be researched further at http://www.homelessshelterdirectory.org/california.html. Most of these places, however, have long waiting lists and therefore are turning a lot of people away due to lack of funds.
The consequences of homelessness are severe.
The homeless have little to no access to medical help, which only worsens with their deteriorating health. They suffer from many diseases, such as skin diseases, sleep deprivation, starvation, and even death are all potential outcomes that homeless people face.
It’s uncomfortable for most to imagine what that must do to their state of mind. As their situation slowly spirals out of control, they may make choices they come to regret later. A loss of self-esteem might be considered mild, as they potentially develop behavioral issues and other mental illnesses.
The homeless are more exposed to terrible acts, such as violence and crime in equal measure. They might commit wrongdoings if they feel they have no other choice. Perhaps they even get tangled in drugs. There is also the likelihood of abusing drugs and alcohol possibly ending in a cycle of varying degrees of depression.
Californians have hard choices to make. Unfortunately for the homeless, the handwringing continues.
Sources:
Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2015.
"20% of Nation’s Homeless Are In California." 247wallst.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2015.
N., and By Shahera Hyatt, Msw; Brynn Walzer, Msw; And Patricia Julianelle,. CALIFORNIA’S HOMELESS STUDENTS: A GROWING POPULATION (n.d.): n. pag. Web.
"Los Angeles to Declare State of Emergency on Homelessness." NY Daily News. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2015.
"HomelessShelterDirectory." California Homeless Shelters. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2015.
"Homelessness." Homelessness. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2015.
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