Across the city of Los Angeles, the homeless population has exploded beyond control. Although Los Angeles is not the only community in the United States that is currently struggling with a homelessness problem, encampments are sprouting up along LA streets. Because homelessness numbers have risen out of control, these encampments are attracting more people and have even been nicknamed McMansions because they now include showers, grill stoves, and even air conditioners in some cases.
Homelessness has risen thanks to the economic fallout after the coronavirus pandemic. With so many Americans out of work – millions more every week – some of them fall into homelessness with no resources available to help them. Because of this rise in homelessness, people have created tented encampments where they can find some shelter – unfortunately, these encampments are located on the city streets.
Some of these McMansion encampments in Los Angeles include running water and electricity. The homeless are stealing water from fire hydrants, which poses a fire risk, and are sapping electricity from street lights. These are used to power their showers and air conditioners and to make life a bit more comfortable for those living in the camps along the Los Angeles city streets.
One tented camp in downtown Los Angeles included a working shower and a grill with a range hood. It was a pretty luxurious living arrangement for a homeless person living on the streets of the city.
The coronavirus has made the homelessness problem far worse. Because California authorities we reworking to curb the spread of the virus, they failed to address the rising homelessness problem before these encampments got out of control. Now, these camps are so large that they sometimes spill out into the streets and block roadways.
“They are doing things that are obviously against the law and dangerous. No one is inspecting. No one is checking,” Estela Lopez, a local business leader, said.
Although Lopez frequently picks up the phone to speak to the Bureau of Sanitation about the tents that continue to pop up around her business location, they have yet to do anything about it.
“Just like they’re sending inspectors to every single business to make sure that they’re following code, why aren’t we doing the same thing with the public right of way?” she said.
Readers of Daily Mail contributed hundreds of comments in response to this news story.
“Good for them. Too many homeless and too many greedy constructions – fix and flippers in real estate. I hope they build on every sidewalk and take over the ‘Good’ churches that do not understand the human condition or even the basis of Christianity, Buddhism, and all other religions. That will teach people to not live in their egos and heads but to live in the here and now.”
Another person said, “If you are this resourceful, couldn’t you re-enter civil society?”
“In some areas, you can get ticketed for camping in the wrong part of the open wilderness, but this is allowed?”
What do you think about the homeless problem in America right now?
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