Free Carts

Re “New Shopping Carts Rolled Out for Homeless,” July 14: What a shame that the Los Angeles Catholic Worker and Las Familias del Pueblo feel it’s helpful to give shopping carts to people on skid row. I realize that there are people in need, but the money spent for carts would be better spent on programs that assist homeless people toward a more stable lifestyle, instead of further enabling their marginal lifestyle.

As a resident of South-Central Los Angeles and a member of the LAPD’s Southwest Area Community Police Advisory Board, I’m aware that people pushing shopping carts through our area often are involved in criminal activity and significantly harm the quality of life of their neighbors. Under the guise of recycling, vagrants trespass for purposes of theft, using the carts as cover and as transportation for their stolen goods. Day and night, we are disturbed by the rattle of their stolen carts and the clatter of bottles and cans. We hope the LAPD continues and strengthens its efforts to curtail this activity.

JANICE ROBINSON

Los Angeles

*

Your articles describing the efforts of homeless activists to restore portable toilets (July 9) and distribute legal shopping carts were as noteworthy for what was not said as what was. Acts of compassion toward homeless and disabled people in these difficult times are always worthy of coverage. As important, the articles reveal the extreme level to which we have become desensitized to the problems and causes of homelessness.

It is a blot on our social conscience that we are beginning to accept shopping carts and portable toilets as real alternatives to strong, well-funded national initiatives to create abundant affordable housing, supportive services, training and jobs both for those who have become homeless and those who are at risk.

BUD HAYES

Executive Director/CEO

Single Room Occupancy Housing

Los Angeles