To the editor: Columnist LZ Granderson rightfully says that eradicating encampments and getting individuals shelter are essential to bolstering our downtowns (“Pushing more Americans into homelessness is no way to revitalize downtowns,” Might 24). Nonetheless, the present price of getting individuals out of shelters and into houses is dismal as a result of there’s a lack of reasonably priced housing.
In my function as vice chair of the Buena Park Navigation Heart Oversight Fee, I see that lower than 15% of purchasers go away to go to secure housing despite intensive housing navigation assist. The fortunate few who’re capable of acquire housing are within the heart for greater than a yr, a spot designed for short-term stays.
We’d like extra artistic methods to make sure that protected locations to name house can be found for everybody. We have to construct extra housing and, whereas ready 5 to 10 years for it to be constructed, we want artistic options resembling single-room occupancy areas, tiny houses and shared-housing fashions. We additionally want extra packages to stop individuals from falling into homelessness within the first place, resembling rental help, utility help, authorized illustration at eviction courts and assist when a disaster hits and persons are residing test to test. Our state, county and metropolis budgets and insurance policies can assist these methods.
Barry Ross, Santa Ana
..
To the editor: It’s actually disappointing to see a Los Angeles Occasions opinion author say that officers shouldn’t be centered on “providing tax breaks to would-be builders” for constructing locations for the homeless in downtowns. It reveals that folks don’t have a fundamental understanding of why others are homeless. We have now a skyrocketing homeless inhabitants as a result of we don’t have sufficient locations for individuals to stay.
Altering the foundations to construct extra houses is one of the best factor that politicians might do to assist the homeless. Certain, the homeless may not transfer into all these new shiny downtown towers, however having individuals residing in these new towers would liberate extra housing for the individuals who want it essentially the most.
Or we are able to simply maintain blocking new housing and the wealthy will take the housing the poorer inhabitants at present has and the variety of homeless individuals in downtowns will enhance.
Josh Albrektson, South Pasadena
