Not an Aberration

Last week I sent you an email about the stunning 10% growth of the unhoused population in Los Angeles over the last year. I thought this news was shocking enough, but today I received an email from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA):

The 2023 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count results were released, showing a 9% rise in homelessness on any given night in Los Angeles County to an estimated 75,518 people and a 10% rise in the City of Los Angeles to an estimated 46,260 people. While this year’s increases are slightly lower than previous year-over-year increases in the homeless count, they continue a steady growth trend of people experiencing homelessness in the annual Point-in-Time Count (PIT Count).

SLIGHTLY LOWER???

You mean we usually have MORE THAN 10% ANNUAL GROWTH IN OUR UNHOUSED POPULATION??? And this isn’t alarming? This isn’t a national emergency? FEMA isn’t building housing all over the county? I am confused.

Our national priorities are upside down and the tragedy of it is that ending and preventing homelessness in America is a) possible and b) better for everyone in the country. It’s better for the economy, for public health, public safety, better for the current state and the future of this country. As with all things, if we work to improve conditions for the most vulnerable, in the end it benefits all of us.

And yet, we allow homelessness to grow at unconscionable rates and do absolutely nothing. We put the responsibility in the hands of non governmental organizations who are left to their own devices to figure out how to pay for their services. It’s not surprising that we haven’t ended homelessness, but it is devastating.

We can build housing. We can give everyone an ID. We can make life liveable for every American. Here, in my little corner, we’re trying to do our part. But this is a big job and we need all hands on deck.

Help us do our part!

As always, thank you. We can’t do this without you.

Kat

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