By Lisa Fisher Director, Westside Shelter & Hunger Coalition/SPN Santa Monica
This is in response to the release of the Los Angeles County homeless count — 88,000 people homeless each day in Los Angeles county is a staggering number, but not that surprising for agencies, cities, faith communities and individuals that work with the homeless everyday. What’s surprising is how it can be this prevalent in a region with so much wealth. Although it is painful to face these numbers, hopefully this reality will force us to address this growing social problem.
It is time we all work together, and stop pointing fingers. Homelessness, however bad it in is Los Angeles, is a national problem. Los Angeles has taken steps to make change with the allocation of $24 million for homeless services by the LA County Supervisors, Mayor Villaraigosa’s housing plan and the Mental Health Services Act. Bring LA Home, the region’s 10-year plan to end homelessness is due to be released in late February. It will serve as a call to action, as well as a roadmap for what needs to be done to end homelessness. Wouldn’t it be great to be known as the city and county that ended homelessness — rather than the one that has the highest number of homeless people in the United States?
All of LA County’s 88 cities need to step up to the table and address this issue regionally. Communities need to get onboard and do away with the NIMBY (not in my back yard) attitude to providing services, because according to the released numbers, the homeless are in everyone’s backyard. The homeless are not just some “social problem,” they are mothers, fathers, grandfathers, brothers, sisters, families, and children that need some compassion, understanding and assistance to get back on their feet.
Poverty is the driving force, coupled with lack of affordable housing, eroding work opportunities, lack of affordable healthcare, mental illness, substance abuse, domestic violence and HIV/AIDS. Many people are forced to choose between food, shelter and other basic needs. Affordable housing, transitional housing, shelters, jobs and social services are needed if we are going to seriously work to end homelessness.
We need to stop playing the blame game and start making real changes. The 2005 homeless count proves that ignoring the problem will not make it go away.
The Westside Shelter & Hunger Coalition is an alliance of 30 organizations, public agencies, and faith communities committed to ending hunger and homelessness through service coordination, public education and advocacy.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on January 18, 2006. Read the original PDF.