War On Homelessness in Los Angeles

The war against the homeless continues as more areas enforce strict street occupation laws.

 On Oct. 27th, 2021 Los Angeles (L.A.) Council President Nury Martinez implemented the 41.18 resolution in the Van Nuys area. Section 41.18 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code prohibits “sitting, lying, and sleeping in public areas.'' 

 Implementing laws that criminalize homelessness is no more than an act of war towards people that are suffering from circumstances beyond their control. Now, law enforcement can arrest and fine the homeless for doing what is necessary to simply exist. 

A man sits among tents at camp on property of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Los Angeles, California on November 11, 2021. (Maxim Elramsisy | The Corsair)

According to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, “homelessness starts rising when median rents in a region exceed 22% of median income… in Los Angeles, the median rent is 46.7% or nearly half of median income.” This means that the average income in L.A. is not keeping up with the city’s extreme rent prices, causing more people to fall victim to homelessness every day. 

Tanya Myers, a resident of Aetna Street in Van Nuys, has faced homelessness fourteen times within the last twenty-nine years. Along with her husband and twenty-year-old son, Myers was placed at an apartment in Nov. 2019 with the help of an L.A. Family Housing, a housing subsidy. There, she had to tolerate poor ventilation conditions and dehumanizing treatment from the building owners. Additionally, L.A. Family Housing failed to complete routine housing inspections and provide them with the proper resources. 

Once Myers and her family were evicted from said apartment, they were back on the streets of L.A. due to the high rent prices. “You don't even have to make affordable housing, just make what is available, affordable,” she said in regards to what the city can do amid the continuous housing crisis.

 Myers' husband, who was diagnosed with skin cancer, and her son, who suffers from seizures regularly, do not receive consistent treatment through MediCal. These issues do not apply to Tanya specifically, but rather the entirety of the homeless community.

Some members of the unhoused community still aim to complete their education in spite of their unstable living conditions which is why Santa Monica College (SMC) has partnered up with Safe Place for Youth (SPY) in order to connect students facing housing insecurity with the proper resources.

Sarah Fay, the Campus Peer Navigator at SMC provided some options that students may look out for if they are faced with housing insecurity, “there are two places that are more student-focused, The Opportunity House and Shower of Hope”. Both of these organizations specialize in helping the homeless community by providing necessary resources. To get in contact with Sarah, email sfay@safeplaceforyouth.org or call 424-428-0159.

While temporary housing through social programs are band-aids for bullet wounds, it is essential to continue to advocate for the basic needs of the unhoused members of the surrounding communities and demand policy change against laws that criminalize homlessness such as section 41.18 as a more long term solution.