Homelessness in Los Angeles

A Home With Not Much Left

"We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty."

- Mother Teresa

Social Issue: Homelessness

     There are Homeless people all around the world but a large number of them are right here in our own backyard. Some of Los Angeles's poorest people spend their days hiding out in the shadows of City Hall napping on flattened out carboards. People no longer can live to enjoy life but instead, live to work to survive and be accepted by society.     


Research

What does "homeless" mean?

• People who are living in a place not meant for human habitation, in emergency shelter, in transitional housing, or are exiting an institution where they temporarily resided.
• People who are losing their primary nighttime residence, which may include a motel or hotel or a doubled-up situation, within 14 days and lack resources or support networks to remain in housing.
• Families with children or unaccompanied youth who are unstably housed and likely to continue in that state.
• People who are fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence, have no other residence and lack the resources or support networks to obtain other permanent housing.

      As per the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, roughly 50,000 to 60,000 people might be discovered homeless on any given night in Los Angeles County. Unaccompanied youth, from minors through age 24, with a substantial fixation in the Hollywood region, are assessed to make up around 6,000 of these. Even though homeless people might be found all through the district, the biggest rates are in the central Los Angeles zone (27%) and in South Los Angeles (16%). Most are from the Los Angeles territory and remain in or close to the groups from which they came. Around 8% are veterans. African Americans make up 40% of Los Angeles County's homeless populace excessively high contrast with the level of African Americans in Los Angeles County generally speaking around 8 percent.

 

Facts About the Homeless Population in Los Angeles County:

• 9% are under age 18.
• 31% are female.
• 15% are in family units (often headed by a single mother}.
• 16% are physically disabled.
• 30% are chronically homeless.
• 18% of 18+ homeless population have substance abuse disorders.
•  30% of 18+ homeless population suffers from serious mental illness.
• 34% of 18+ homeless population were victims of domestic/intimate partner violence.

Personal

       I am passionate about this topic because I see homeless people treated like garbage as if they were not human and are invisible. I grew up in Stockton California where there was a huge population of homeless people but the city did a great job to coming together and providing aid and hospitality for most of the homeless people or families. I would volunteer at the shelters and saw the struggle of the homeless community. I also took in a friend from high school that was living in her car. At the time we were juniors and she was living in her car with no family or anything she struggled with school because of her circumstance. When I found out she was living in her car I offered her to stay in my room and would hide her from my mother because I wanted to help her. My mom later found out and took her in and she lived with us until she graduated and became a sister to me. Ever since then I have made it my action to help out homeless people when i can and with what i can.

     My action for the civic engagement blog is to show the side of the story of the homeless and how they are also human but have different struggles compared to other people. I want to make people understand that we are all equal no matter the value of our personal belongings, or how much money we have, and if we live in a house or tent. In the end, all people should be treated as humans and not trash.


Faces of the community

 

Montay 

"I've been homeless for thirteen years now. I just try to do everything early in the day before it gets too late so then I have the rest of the day to finish what I am doing and find shelter. I didn't choose to be homeless I was put out of work because of a hand injury and couldn't work for nine years. I am planning to look for work again soon now that my injury is healed. "

Nova 

"Living in Los Angeles is alright the cost of rent is ridiculous and there is a huge population of homeless people because they are not giving anybody jobs or creating jobs."

Dave Bird

"I was homeless once and now I am off the streets and have a small space to myself but it sucks being homeless because people treat you like trash and assume that you chose to be homeless and don't know the real truth. The words I live by are don't worry be happy. "

Reflection 

My understanding of civic engagement has changed a bit because of the amount of effort it takes to actually engage in the social issue you are passionate about. Also taking the stance and sticking to making the change and it being successful in the community. 

        I was not surprised because it's a growing population of people becoming homeless. What did not only surprise me but made me sad was to see such a large number of homeless and how some such as students do not ask for help but instead keep it a secret because of embarrassment. 

       Yes, I did face challenges such as putting myself in uncertain dangerous situations because I went downtown to "tent city" as they call it where all the homeless campout to get interviews. Not all the people in the homeless community are nice and some are on drugs. Also, I almost came to tears when speaking to an older gentleman who once was homeless and turned his life around. He shared personal stories that were so vivid and almost brought tears to my eyes it also made me sit and reflect on life. It was also hard getting a person from the homeless community to smile or give you an expression in the photos I took of them. Some were also embarrassed to open up and speak to me or let me interview them. 

       Yes, I received a particular set of information from one of the men I interviewed within the community. He said that social security will no longer exist in the future possibly by 2040 and how they are slowly cutting it out, that made me think about how it not only has affected our nation now but how great it will affect and possibly create chaos in the future. He also spoke of change and how they can be active about it and how they are planning. Dave the older man said as once a homeless they will stand together and fight for what is equally there's in jobs and decent pay as well affordable housing and they want to be treated as human as if they exist.     

      Yes, I would have created a full-on mini-documentary report on homeless and it's growth in Los Angeles so I have not only vivid words to describe my work but also portray it visually. 

      Yes, I do feel I was successful in my presentation and the message for the purpose of my blog was reached. Not only will the community relate to my blog but also feel represented rightfully. The outlying community will also be affected by my blog post and it will make them think and realize what is happening to people just like them all around their surroundings. 

      I just want to say I am glad I was exposed to this assignment and able to educate the masses on my blog using my own artistic taste.

Citations

• Holland, Gale. “L.A.'s Homelessness Surged 75% in Six Years. Here's Why the Crisis Has Been Decades in the Making.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2018, www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-homeless-how-we-got-here-20180201-story.html.
• “Homelessness in Los Angeles County.” Homeless in Los Angeles County, California, www.laalmanac.com/social/so14.php.
• Neiditch, Daniel. “5 Troubling Statistics About Homelessness That You Should Know.” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 23 Mar. 2018, www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/5-troubling-statistics-about-homelessness-that-you_us_5924473de4b0b28a33f62f92.