Homeless in LA

When I think of a homeless person, the images that come to mind are those that I’ve seen, like the man who is always by the freeway exit, or the homeless man I often saw on my way to high school. I remember the many I’ve seen in LA. Though the people themselves are diverse, the trappings of homelessness are not. Is it a condition that follows human civilization so doggedly that we will never be rid of it? Or can homelessness be ended? Though I want to say yes, it can be fixed, realistically, I think not. I think there are absolutely things we can do to help people in that situation, like food kitchens, shelters, donations, etc. I think dispelling harmful stereotypes about the homeless can be helpful as well, as people can end up on the streets for a variety of reasons, including foreclosure, loss of a job, drug addiction, running away from home, and mental illness.

When I looked at the statistics, there I wasn’t really surprised by much, except for the high percentage of veteran homeless. Even then, it wasn’t entirely unexpected, and it’s sad to think that I can look at such high numbers and percents and think, “yes, that sounds right.” I think a solid solution is providing permanent affordable housing, as it offers a community and opportunity for people to put their lives back on track.