To Live And Be Priced Out In LA...
Homelessness is a well-known growing problem across the United States, but Los Angeles is one city that is ahead of the pack in this area. According to experts the homeless population in the city grew to 20%, meanwhile numbers for the wider Los Angeles county is a little higher at 23%.
In the latest report done by Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) in January shows that 57,794 people are homeless in the county, compared to 46,874 in 2016.
There were 34,189 without a permanent home, the report by LAHSA revealed it was 28,464 without a permanent home just one year before.
Even the Mayor of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti said there was "no sugarcoating the bad news".
"It's impossible to wrap your head around the numbers" and he added, soaring rents and the city's high cost of living were partly to blame. We can't let rents double every year".
In case you were wondering the average cost of the rent in Los Angeles, it has increased by 32% since the year 2000. While the average household incomes for renters have fallen by 3% when adjusted for inflation (California Housing Partnership).
The California Housing Partnership also reported that those living on the lowest incomes are spending 70% of their income on rent. If your spending over half of your monthly income on rent, how do you buy food or address any of your other financial needs living on this amount of money?
The county is in need of over 500,000 affordable housing units, and Los Angeles just got approved around $1 billion dollars to build at least 10,000 units for the homeless. Other than that, it's just talk of how much money they need over the next 10 years to for various homeless projects.
What do you think about the homeless dilemma the country is in?
Los Angeles - US 'homeless capital'
34,189
homeless in LA city
20%
increase on 2016
57,794 homeless in LA County
23% increase on 2016
Source: Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority
What do I think? What can anyone think? It's disturbing and sad. Having been affiliated with The Salvation Army for over 25 years, I can understand how you feel. I've been working with many of these folks (not in L.A. but it's a universal problem) and I agree the cost of housing is unsustainable. Even for those living in low-income housing, they are living in terrible situations. Keeping this story in the public eye is so important, so thank you for your part in that. It seems we have a common interest so hope you might check out my very new posts. (Only be a steemer now for less than a month). Steem On from a new follower.
Thank you for the support.