Homeless, Not Hopeless

The soiled piles of dirty blankets, old newspapers and torn shopping bags that line some sidewalks and empty lots throughout the county represent homes to an increasing number of unemployed Los Angeles families who less than a year ago had both houses and jobs. Although often stereotyped as drug- or alcohol-addicted or mentally incompetent, as many as 70% of the estimated 25,000 Los Angeles County homeless are single men and women and parents with small children who lost their low-income jobs during this past year. Without savings, they had nowhere to turn but to the streets.

Ironically, these are the brightest hope of the homeless community. Nathan Shapell, chairman of Shapell Industries, along with Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley and Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich have formed a non-profit coalition of government and private business called Building a Better Los Angeles. Their goal will be to form a countywide coordinated effort to help these homeless families get back into mainstream living. Countywide coordination, however, is essential.

There is a plethora of federal, state, county, city and private agencies available to help the county’s poor. But many of the homeless, already discouraged and somewhat cynical, find working through the vast number of unrelated, bureaucratic agencies an unsurmountable task. Building a Better Los Angeles can provide the guidance and, with support from industry, the temporary housing needed to help this enormous number of people return to a productive life.

The Weingart Center, which provides a 60-day transitional housing and counseling program on Skid Row, is a fine example of how successful this type of project can be. Although it reaches only a small part of the total countywide homeless population, over a 21-month period the center worked with 3,271 adults living on downtown streets or in missions. Center personnel were able to help 51% of them find housing, jobs, social benefits and medical treatment when necessary. Although the center allows 60 days of transitional housing for those looking for work or saving money for rent, the average person stayed only 38 days.

It is estimated that 7 out of every 10 people who are homeless can be, and want to be, helped. Building a Better Los Angeles has the potential to do this in a well-coordinated fashion. The county’s homeless do not all need to remain hopeless.