HOMELESS WATCH : Glad Ad
Politicians are accustomed to darts and criticisms. The praise and thank-yous are few and far between. So an appreciative radio ad addressed to three county supervisors is worth noting.
The Countywide Coalition for the Homeless sponsored the commercial to praise Ed Edelman, Kenneth Hahn and Gloria Molina for raising general relief payments, a form of welfare for people who qualify for little or no other government assistance. The boost, which was long overdue, increased the assistance to $341 a month from $312.
Edelman and Hahn have advocated on behalf of poor men and women for years--but with few positive results because a conservative majority dominated the board for a decade. Molina, the newest supervisor, finally provided the margin of victory.
The vote to raise the assistance and improve the application process prompted the novel radio commercial, which said, in part: “It’s not often homeless people and their advocates have reason to thank the L. A. County Board of Supervisors. But the recent actions taken by supervisors Edelman, Hahn and Molina on behalf of homeless people deserve recognition.”
Legal Aid lawyers also deserve recognition because their lawsuits prodded the supervisors and set the stage for the increase and other improvements in county programs aimed at struggling homeless people.
General relief, at $341 a month, is still not much to live on, given the cost of shelter and food. But it is much better than nothing. Every additional dollar is a help, and worth a public thank-you.
