Los Angeles Times OpinionMay 21, 2020, 5:00 AM CDT
To the editor: After many years dealing with the homelessness problem in Los Angeles, I question if anyone knows how much money we have unsuccessfully spent trying to get people off the streets. Who is in charge of saying enough is enough and switching to a more effective strategy? (“California leased 15,000 hotel rooms to help homeless people. Half now sit empty,” May 19)
We must realize that the money we are spending leasing hotel rooms (and for how long?) will not be available to support our schools, pay for healthcare coverage, maintain our dilapidated streets or keep hard-working families from becoming homeless.
A better option would be to create large campsites in the county offering all the necessary amenities for homeless people to be safe. These campsites would have good sanitary facilities, lunchrooms, medical and social workers on-site and other essential services. They may also have recreational vehicle parking and storage facilities.
This would be more cost effective and socially beneficial than having people in hotels all over the county in need of food, services and transportation.
Albert Badgen, Northridge
