Readers React: In order to end homelessness, L.A. needs to figure out where to begin

To the editor: The reality is not knowing how many of the homeless will welcome help from the city — with no strings attached. (“L.A. leaders to declare homeless emergency,” Sept. 23)

Sadly, there are many homeless who are mentally ill and/or substance abusers. These people tend to reject rules and regulations, and our Constitution gives them the right to do so.

Our right to the pursuit of happiness is a double-edged sword.

How will the city deal with those we attempt to help but who reject it? They will simply end up back on the streets. Then what?

Mitchell Lane, Shadow Hills

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To the editor: Your front-page article reminds me that as a physician, the ills of society might be solved by applying some of the principles of the practice of medicine.

One basic tenet is that you can’t expect the treatment to be successful if you start with a misdiagnosis. It strikes me that homelessness might be a symptom of an undiagnosed ailment, not the ailment itself.

Spending a fair amount of time on the streets of Los Angeles (I am an avid “urban hiker”) and engaging a number of people in brief chats, I am left distressed and dismayed at the number of people talking to themselves, acting bizarrely, appearing delusional and behaving in a deranged manner.

I would guess that the number of mentally ill people on the streets and in the jails exceeds the populations of the largest mental hospitals.

As inpatient and outpatient services for the mentally ill received the death knell between the 1960s and the 1990s, we shifted the residence of these needy and ill people from bedroom to sidewalk to prison.

Let’s stop thinking of ourselves as citizens of the world’s leading enlightened society.

Bruce Gainsley, Sherman Oaks
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To the editor: This declaration of a homelessness emergency is certainly significant and edifying in light of Pope Francis and President Obama’s joint statements covering poverty and migration.(“A homelessness emergency,” Editorial, Sept. 23 and “Seemingly futile cycle of cleanups at homeless sites,” Sept. 24)

Now that philanthropist Eli Broad has perpetuated his legacy with the establishment of the Broad Museum downtown, perhaps the Broad Foundation could establish Broad Houses, like the Ronald McDonald Houses, throughout the city to support the homeless.

This princely gesture would inspire others toward a spirit of generosity for their follow Angelenos who suffer silently on the sidewalks and bridges in the City of Angels.

Tom Kaminski, Redondo Beach

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To the editor: Homelessness and the minimum wage are not two separate items.

A homeless person doesn’t have a cable bill, a cellphone bill, a car payment, a mortgage, etc. A homeless person is not supporting kids or a spouse.

The homeless could work for $5 an hour, rent a room or bed at a boarding house and still have enough for food and alcohol. It would get the homeless off the streets.

Mandating $15 an hour ensures a growing number of homeless whose value to an employer is less.

Bob Munson, Newbury Park

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To the editor: Although my personal experience is that my council member’s office does not acknowledge telephone calls or emails, he is quoted in this article as saying that “on a daily basis” he receives calls from constituents concerned about the homeless crisis.

All the while he is busy green-lighting the construction of outlandish, over-priced, oversized single-family homes and high-rent, densely packed multi-family developments.

My own neighborhood is a testament to the fact that the loss of affordable housing is only exacerbating the unconscionable failure of our city government — a government run by developers.

Babette Wilk, Valley Village

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To the editor: I can’t help but be disturbed by the contrasts of tacitly allowing the homeless to encamp on public sidewalks, medians, parks and other property but not allowing wealthy property owners to encroach on coastal public access areas.

This is the uncomfortable part of “equal justice.”

I cannot condone either side of this very broad economic spectrum, but the majority of us who occupy the space in between are the real losers.

Chris Saccente, Altadena

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To the editor: It’s encouraging that fighting homelessness is again a top priority for our city leaders and residents, but just providing shelter or housing for the homeless does not solve the crisis caused by decades of globalization.

Runaway capitalism sends millions of jobs overseas for higher profits. It disregards the pain it inflicts on classes within society as people slowly sink deeper into joblessness, debt, decline and homelessness.

It’s critical that our city and state leaders focus on keeping jobs here.

Solutions? Start by aiding workers to form co-ops when their jobs are threatened.

Gerald Staack, Santa Clarita

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To the editor: The article correctly points out that homelessness among veterans is declining.

However, I don’t think you can write about how the homeless crisis got so bad without mentioning that part of this situation is a consequence of engaging in two simultaneous wars, and the lack of real support for those returning with significant trauma issues.

There are many military and public policies that create barriers to vital mental health services for returning veterans. Then, when these veterans begin to self-medicate or exhibit trauma symptoms, these same policies blame them and use it as a justification to continue denying them services such as disability benefits or housing.

Keegan Hornbeck, Los Angeles

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