By Martin Macias Jr.
LOS ANGELES – A growing community of people living in their cars in southeast Los Angeles will get support to connect with housing and health services following a vote by county leaders Tuesday.
The five-member Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved programs that will help those living out of their vehicles to properly dispose of their waste, find safe locations to park overnight and eventually transition into affordable housing.
The county will also immunize the homeless and offer other health services. County funds will provide rental move-in assistance and pay to destroy vehicles deemed too dangerous to live in or hazardous to the environment.
Cristian Riehl, a member of the St. Joseph Center team that reaches out to people living in vehicles, told supervisors Tuesday that the program is a “beacon of light for the lost.”
The St. Joseph Center provides services for low-income individuals and families.
A pilot program has already moved 59 people into affordable housing since July 2017, a county report said.
According to the report, people living in vehicles often find it too expensive to pay to dispose of septic tank waste and household trash, meaning it would be less expensive for the county to subsidize waste disposal than pay to clean up improper dumping sites.
Officials will push tow lot owners to stop buying and reselling “substandard, unclaimed recreational vehicles” used as dwellings by homeless people as well.
In some cases, it’s cheaper for people to purchase their previously towed RV through an auction than pay tow fees. The report referred to the process as the “RV cycle.”
The collection of vehicles has grown over the last decade despite an increase in resources and outreach efforts.
According to a 2018 homeless count, 9,181 vehicles are being used as residences in LA county, with just over half of those classified as campers or RVs.
California leads the nation with both the highest number of people experiencing homelessness – about 134,000, or 24 percent of the nation’s total – and the highest proportion of unsheltered homeless people in any state at 68 percent, according to an April 2018 California State Auditor report.
Supervisors said they hoped the pilot could be replicated in other parts of the county.
Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas said the program is not meant to be used as a “cookie cutter approach,” urging his colleagues to remember that each county district has different needs.
County officials said they are still estimating the cost of running the pilots, which for now will target people living in vehicles parked in the unincorporated communities of West Rancho Dominguez, Rosewood and Willowbrook.
Funds from Measure H – a voter-approved tax that will generate $350 million over 10 years for homelessness prevention programs – will finance rental assistance, outreach and other elements of the pilot programs, officials said.
In nearby Orange County, a federal judge is pushing officials to either build shelters and affordable housing for unsheltered homeless residents or face an injunction barring them from enforcing anti-camping ordinances.
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13 Comments
You’re going to immunize them? Against what?
Disposing of litter is as easy as finding a trash bin behind any retail store or car lot.
What, we going to buy them a new car??
What a crock, free trash and sewer pick up. Think I’ll park my motor home in Santa Monica all summer and demand the same services
Immunize them? Against what?
Trash can be dumped behind any retail store or car dealership.
I believe the government thrives off the misery of broken souls.
My friend hired a guy for a job and one day went with him to visit a client at their office. They took his car. She realized he had all his stuff in the backseat. He told her he was living in his car and showering every morning at the Gym then going to work.
He eventually saved enough money to get an apartment and is doing very well.
Not all living in cars are deadbeats. Have some compassion.
Thank you for standing up for those who are simply struggling and desire to be better and strive toward immediate goals. I am a housing liaison; for LA County and we have a disaster on our hands. We must put clients in the drivers seat and the more hands we have on individuals, the better the outcomes. Thank you for your comment.
I guess give them flu shots ect.
The “trash” they are really talking about is sewage
that currently they are putting down storm drain that goes to ocean without being treated. They are in campers and old motor homes.
Thanks jeanne
If were not for the Grace of God There go I. This is our chance to take Mankinds downfalls,inprofections, and weaknesses… and turn them into our Strength’s … Which can only happen through a Power far Greater than our own. Man without God is the result of most of Mankinds Problems… Let’s see what happens when allow God’s Profection to turn our inprofections into our strengths.
BDG…all we can do is keep trying….its may not be a 100% but even just a small % is helped ….praise the lord…might be only a few who want help…lets do it…never give up on the few…why should they be thrown in with those that don’t want to
If were not for the Grace of God There go I. This is our chance to take Mankind’s downfalls, imperfections, and weaknesses… and turn them into our Strength’s … Which can only happen through a Power far Greater than our own. Man without God is the result of most of Mankind’s Problems… Let’s see what happens when we allow God’s Perfection to turn our imperfections into our strengths.
Gail Sulser your’e welcome.
If my 25 year old gives me anymore trouble there will be another homeless person out there, LOL
Just kidding. Help where you can.
I am currently homeless and living in a trailer on the side of a road. I do not dump my sewage in the street. For $30 you can pay a company come to you and they empty your tank. It’s a shame how people can look down on someone just cause they find themselves without a home. I had a series of unfortunate events that brought me to become residentially challenged. I’ve heard people say homeless people are lasy, drug addicts or all criminals, but that isn’t true. I’m sitting here reading all the comments and I see “them” like are lives are worth less then yours. Who are you to judge anyone? Really? I am a living being just like you. I am not on any government assistance. I am just another person living my life day by day. Immunize them? Why not? You never know when one of us are behind you in the grocery store. Think about it.
ok 59 people were put into low income housing , wonderful…but i also think of the other 59,000 and lishy no one is talking about you….we are saying many have drug , booze and mental issue….sorry you became homeless recenty and you should get assistances if you need it