West LA shines a light on homelessness
Homelessness impacts thousands of people in Los Angeles every day. Whether affected by drug addiction, increasing housing prices or mental illness, the homeless community in Southern California flocks to the streets of Los Angeles where they hope to find shelter, food and communal support.
Home to the second-largest homeless population in the country, Los Angeles County has 44,459 individuals living on the streets every night according to the 2015 Greater L.A. Homeless Count conducted by Los Angeles County.
As ordered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Santa Monica also administers a homeless count every two years to record the homeless population in the city. This survey accounts for the homeless community, updates demographics and identifies areas in need of social and economic improvement in Santa Monica.
Santa Monica alone is home to hundreds of homeless people, 728 individuals to be exact according to the 2016 Santa Monica Homeless Count. The homeless count in Santa Monica decreased from last year by 1%, but the street count increased from last year by 3% according to the homeless count.
People lose their homes for a number of reasons. No two stories are the same. However, the most common factors leading to homelessness include job loss, drug or alcohol use, divorce or separation, an argument with a family member, domestic violence, eviction, mental health or incarceration.
Constantly faced with tribulations, homeless people do not live life comfortably. Jillian, a homeless individual living in Venice Beach, has been living on the streets for more than 16 years due to her addiction to methamphetamine.
“I recently had two ODs and now I'm on my way to the shelter. I’m coming down from my second OD of methamphetamine, and hopefully this time I quit,” Jillian said. “My friends died. One was found in the bathroom recently dead on the toilet. Then I OD’d a week ago by accident, but I'm okay…I don't know why I turned back to it. I had months clean…I’m trying to recover.”
Like hundreds of other homeless individuals, Jillian takes the Venice Beach bus every day, leaving from the Venice Beach Boardwalk, to a local homeless shelter where they are given food, clothing, temporary beds and showers. In addition to shelters, homeless people struggling with addiction also seek access to programs that will help them recover from addiction—the first step to getting off the streets. Many homeless individuals like Jillian want to recover but do not know how or where to turn.
“I’m looking for a way out. Maybe an outpatient program of some sort because I don't want to be the next person in the bathroom dead,” Jillian said. “My addiction has no benefit on me. It hinders me… It takes people that I care about away from me and pushes other people away from me too. That drug is horrible. It gets you on this whole delusion that everything is fine, but in reality, everything is falling apart.”
Fortunately, there are several services offered in Santa Monica to improve the lives of homeless individuals. In 1993, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and City Council created the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) which strives to better the lives of homeless individuals and families by coordinating them with housing and other services. According to LAHSA.org, LAHSA coordinates and manages over $132 million every year in Federal, State, County and City funds for programs that provide shelter, housing and other services to homeless people in Los Angeles County.
More specifically to Santa Monica, the Santa Monica City Council administered the Action Plan to Address Homelessness in Santa Monica in 2008 which outlined expectations, guidelines and projects to improve the homeless service system in the county. The action plan targets six areas for improvement: services, housing, evaluation, community education, public policy, and collaboration with regional partners, according to smgov.net.
Santa Monica also offers several services for the homeless community including the Chronic Homeless Project: Santa Monica’s Service Registry, Homeless Community Court and Project Homecoming. Established in 2004, the Chronic Homeless Project seeks to help long-term homeless individuals in the community by connecting them with services and housing.
The Homeless Community Court is a court program that confronts legal issues of homeless individuals. It also give those with non-violent charges the opportunity to enroll in the program. Upon completion of the program, their charges are dropped, and they will be connected to permanent housing and other services. Project Homecoming reunites homeless individuals in Santa Monica with friends and family who will offer them housing, love and support.
Many people working for the Santa Monica City Council genuinely care for the homeless community and constantly look for ways to help. Elizabeth Anderson, the Senior Administrative Analyst for the Santa Monica City Council, found her interest in homelessness through her desire to improve older adults’ quality of life.
“I found the needs and challenges facing homeless older adults a problem that I want to help solve,” Anderson said.
The Santa Monica City Council Human Services department works closely with other city departments including the Police, Fire, Public Works, Parks and Library departments as well as the Department of Mental Health, Health Services and the court system.
“Through this strategy, City of Santa Monica ensures that homeless services and resources are available for individual people and that systems are working together effectively to address homelessness on a broader scale,” Anderson said.
Many homeless cases result from increasing housing costs, stagnant wages, minimal Social Security benefits or a combination of all three. The expensive cost of living and financial obligations associated with Los Angeles housing often run individuals and families into debt.
“When living paycheck to paycheck, any unforeseen stresses on income like a sick child, health issues, rent raises, car repairs – can easily cause someone to become homeless,” Anderson said.
The group of individuals living paycheck to paycheck comprises about two-thirds of the homeless population in Los Angeles. The other one-third comprises single adults suffering from physical health, mental health or substance abuse issues.
Homelessness in Los Angeles affects more than just the people suffering from it. It also affects local residents who witness homelessness every day. Depending on where they live, homeless individuals may interfere with the day to day lives of others.
The bus stop near the Venice Beach Boardwalk draws in huge crowds of homeless people every day—many of them temporarily residing near the skateparks and boardwalk. Larry, a local Venice skater, expressed his disproval of the homeless community loitering near the skateparks.
“For one, you can’t really skate in a lot of these places because, I mean, this guy right here is getting drunk and high on a skate obstacle,” Larry said. “The bus that comes and picks them all up leaks car fluids and fresh oil on the parks too. It’s a nightmare.”
However, locals like Larry also see the reality of homelessness and understand the toll it takes on the hundreds of individuals in the area.
“People in cars can just roll up their windows, but us skaters see the effects and the reality of homelessness every day,” Larry said.
Homeless individuals need hope and opportunity for change in order to get off the streets. Thankfully, Los Angeles County and Santa Monica City offer many opportunities to help get homeless people back on their feet.
When asked what Jillian wants to do when she recovers, she said, “I want to put a smile on people’s faces again. Because that’s what my [roller] skating tends to do, so I’ll be back on these things…Watch and see, I’ll be back skating. I got to recoup from this. I’m not going to die. Not like this. That’s not my style.”
