Commentary
The City of Los Angeles has initiated a bold plan to provide housing for all of its homeless residents. However, this plan has raised concerns due to the potential for attracting more homeless individuals to the city. An investigation into the project has also uncovered issues of mismanagement and possible corruption.
“Homekey makes grant funding available to acquire and convert various properties into housing,” stated the County. This aligns with the left’s approach of utilizing crises for strategic purposes. The city’s Housing Authority oversees the acquisitions, operations, and upgrades of these properties to provide necessary services and amenities on-site.
The investigation revealed that the city has acquired 2,750 housing units at a cost of over $810 million, with approximately 44% of the units currently vacant. This expansion into real estate management raises concerns given the city’s struggles in maintaining essential infrastructure.
Furthermore, the investigation exposed instances of overpaying for properties, indicating a lack of expertise in commercial real estate transactions within the government. Such ventures are vulnerable to political influences, fraud, and unethical practices.
Additionally, the investigation found that certain luxury buildings acquired required modifications to accommodate homeless individuals. Despite these efforts, a significant percentage of acquired units remain unoccupied, awaiting renovations.
Last year, California saw another 6 percent increase in its homeless population, totaling 180,000 individuals. This accounts for 28 percent of the nation’s homeless population, despite California only making up 12 percent of the total U.S. population. Over the past decade, from 2012 to 2022, California’s homeless population has increased by 43 percent, with L.A. County experiencing a staggering 106 percent increase. In contrast, Texas saw a 28 percent decrease in its homeless population during the same period, with Houston decreasing by 57 percent.
The reason behind this trend is clear – the more lenient a city is towards camping and homeless individuals, the more it incentivizes such behavior. While other states enforce strict no camping laws, individuals flock to cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco where camping is permitted. This situation is expected to worsen as the word spreads that camping in L.A. may lead to offers of brand-new lofts with views of the Hollywood sign.
Please note that the views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and may not necessarily reflect those of The Epoch Times.
Source link
