In the heart of downtown Los Angeles’ Skid Row, a neighborhood that has long been synonymous with homelessness, the unhoused outnumber the housed, and poverty and despair seem to permeate every corner. But amidst this landscape of struggle, something remarkable is happening. A vibrant community response is emerging, one that is challenging conventional wisdom about how to address homelessness and offering new models for change.
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But as the homelessness crisis has grown, so too has the realization that these scattered efforts, however heroic, are not enough. To truly make a dent in this issue, we need coordination.
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In the struggle against homelessness in Los Angeles, the language we use and the stories we tell have a profound impact. The prevailing narrative often portrays the unhoused as helpless victims or societal burdens, focusing on their deficits and challenges rather than their inherent worth and capabilities. But a transformative shift is underway, led by advocates and community leaders who are challenging us to see the humanity, resilience, and potential in every person experiencing homelessness.
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affordable housing. Two recent studies determined that the U.S. has a total shortfall of 3.8 million market-rate homes, a number that doesn’t even include the shortfall of affordable housing. This shortage represents not just a market failure, but a moral one. It is a crisis that disproportionately impacts the most vulnerable members of society, including the poor, the disabled, the elderly, and communities of color.
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Amidst the staggering homelessness crisis in Los Angeles, with over 70,000 individuals without a home, it's understandable to feel overwhelmed. However, a powerful force for change is emerging: the community itself. Across the city, neighborhood organizations are harnessing the strength of grassroots action, uniting housed and unhoused residents, businesses, faith groups, and nonprofits to confront homelessness head-on. These collective efforts demonstrate that when a community comes together, real transformation is possible.
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I couldn't be happier to help create Second Grace LA, the online community committed to ending homelessness in Los Angeles County. You know, and I know, the only real solution is a massive community response - thousands of Angelenos rising together to help the people living outside at the end of their streets—our unhoused neighbors.
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When I first sat down to create this space, I didn’t think things would move this fast or go this well. I have no complaints, but it derailed my best-made plan for writing regularly, so apologies. It’s been a minute.
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As there are many paths to homelessness—job loss, health crisis, divorce, and domestic abuse, to name the four most significant—there are also many paths to reclaiming the dignity and agency required to move forward—maybe as many paths as there are people. These are four of the steps on that path that I think made the difference for me.
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For the next few months, I’m going to share what I’ve learned working with thousands of people on the streets. I’m going to highlight the work of the most innovative and successful programs serving the unhoused residents of Los Angeles and San Francisco.
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