Alexander Perez

Drug Abuse & Homelessness in Los Angeles

By : Alexander Perez

Issue:

Los Angeles, CA

Growing Up in East Los Angeles I have witnessed Homelessness and Drug abuse on the streets of Los Angeles. In recent years, it seems as if the rise in opioid addiction has risen to staggering heights along the lines with homelessness. I recall a time in where I would not see as much drug abuse in the streets before then now in the community. In my perspective the opioid epidemic occurring in the community intertwines with homelessness. However, if I bring awareness to the community, the community would be able to essentially help homeless people around in the community. In the eyes of society homeless people are scene as a nuisance and would rather avoid the individual at all costs. Nonetheless, this shouldn't be the case when interfering with such an individual. Society has to learn how to adapt to homeless people and value the person still with respect rather than ignore the individual. 

Research Facts: 

• According to article, "The Causes of Homelessness in Later Life: Findings From a 3-Nation Study" (2005),  'Theoretical contributions and empirical research findings have supported two broad explanations of homelessness: one associated with structural economic and policy conditions, such as poverty, unemployment, and a shortage of affordable rented housing, and the other featuring personal incapacity, vulnerability, and behavior' (Pages S152-S159). 

• Along the lines the article, "The Causes of Homelessness in Later Life: Findings From a 3-Nation Study" (2005) states,  'Empirical studies have identified high rates of mental illness, substance abuse, and disruptive childhood experiences among homeless people (Caton et al., 2000; Herman, Susser, Struening, & Link, 1997; Koegel, Melamid, & Burnam, 1995). Susser, Moore, and Link (1993) developed a model of causal pathways that incorporated personal risk factors at different stages of the life course, the most influential in later life being deficient economic and social resources, early-acquired personal characteristics, and poor health'(Pages S152-S159).

• According to the website,  "The National Alliance To End Homelessness" it states 'Homeless individuals are experiencing far less progress, with their rates dropping by only 10 percent. The group broadly includes some subgroup members (Veterans, Chronically Homeless, Youth)—but most are adults who don’t fall into any one of those categories. As the largest subgroup, making up 67 percent of the total population, solutions for individuals are critical to efforts to end homelessness'

• Futhermore according to the website, "The National Alliance To End Homelessness" it quotes 'A total of 552,830 people were experiencing homelessness on a single night in 2018. This number represents 17 out of every 10,000 people in the United States. HUD’s Annual Point-in-Time Count, the only nation-wide survey of homeless people, provides this data and other useful statistics.

• According to the website Center of Disease Control and Prevention (2018), it states ' On average, 130 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose.

Increase of Opioid Abuse By Year

Research Statistics:

Racial Comparisons

10 States with the Highest Counts 2018

Total Number of People Experiencing Homelessness per Year by Type, 2007–2018

Interviews : 

• " If the government promoted more government assistance programs for those individuals in need of assistance our community would most likely decrease in drug addict homeless" ~ Julio Castillo / 21   

• " Homelessness is a major epidemic in Los Angeles if the government does not intervene it can become even worse" ~ Maria Lopez / 19  

• " Everytime I approach a homeless on the street they seem drugged out not wanting me to give them money but food" ~ Karen Ruiz / 25

Why It Matters :

Skid Row, Los Angeles CA

The social issue regarding the drug abuse and increase in homelessness around the community brings great concerns. Homeless individuals resort to drug addiction in order to dim the suffering pain the individual may be going through. Despite the harsh living conditions the individuals endure there is, help and programs funded by the government in order to help these individuals. Working together as a community the city has the ability to diminish the amount of poverty and drug abuse surrounding the city.

Solution :

Los Angeles, Homeless Shelter

This social issue is important to me as the rise in homelessness and opioid epidemic has created an insecure atmosphere which makes living difficult to cope in peace. Individuals who are in need of food or a place to stay can get government assistance. There are numerous government assistance for food and housing such as 
Emergency Solutions Grants Program (ESG), Rural Housing Stability Assistance Program (RHSP), and Continuum of Care Program (CoC),Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Food Distribution Programs. Commodity Supplemental Food Program(CSFP), etc. The government provides the public with these services for family and individuals struggling in having a stable place to stay. Bringing awareness to these individuals who are in need of help will essentially assist these individuals to better themselves.

Providing the homeless a place to stay and a drug free environment is just what these individuals need. Nonetheless, if the homeless are provided shelter and food the individual will not resort to drugs in order to forgot about the situation. The decrease in homeless would drop the drug abuse in the city creating a drug free environment. 

Resources: 

• “Opioid Overdose.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 19 Dec. 2018, www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/epidemic/index.html.

• “State of Homelessness.” National Alliance to End Homelessness, endhomelessness.org/homelessness-in-america/homelessness-statistics/state-of-homelessness-report/.

• Maureen Crane, Kathleen Byrne, Ruby Fu, Bryan Lipmann, Frances Mirabelli, Alice Rota-Bartelink, Maureen Ryan, Robert Shea, Hope Watt, Anthony M. Warnes, The Causes of Homelessness in Later Life: Findings From a 3-Nation Study, The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, Volume 60, Issue 3, May 2005, Pages S152–S159, https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/60.3.S152

• HUD.gov / U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), www.hud.gov/program_offices/comm_planning/homeless/programs.