More taxpayer dollars are being spent on homeless housing and services, yet homelessness in Los Angeles County increased 12% last year and chronic homelessness is up 17%. Society needs to do better. Homelessness is an income problem as well as a housing problem — and both need to be addressed to solve L.A.’s homeless crisis.
The most frequent explanation homeless adults give for their lack of housing is the loss of a job, which meant they couldn’t pay their rent. We all know that a homeless individual needs a home — “homeless” is part of the description. But many are also unemployed workers looking for a job and a regular paycheck. Not having enough money to pay rent contributes to homelessness just as much as the lack of affordable housing does.