Night Of the Living Dead Homeless Skid Row Downtown Los Angeles California. Walk with me a night thru skid row homeless encampments at we explore people settling in looking for a place to sleep. Overcrowding no rooms leaves many people sleeping on the sidewalks with the rats that come out at night.
**Skid Row**, also known as Central City East, is an area of approximately 50 square blocks located just east of downtown Los Angeles. Its history dates back to the early 20th century when many of the city's working poor, unemployed, disabled, and otherwise marginalized residents found homes in single-room occupancy (SRO) hotels throughout this relatively small neighborhood³. Here's a brief overview of its origins:
1. **Railroad Origins**:
- The term "Skid Row" originated during the construction of railroads in the mid-19th century. Initially, railroad tracks made from harvested logs were sent to construction sites along "skid roads."
- These "skid roads" were built from logs to facilitate the movement of logs along heavily muddied streets.
- The transient, immigrant men who worked on the railroads needed places to stay. Consequently, single-room occupancy (SRO) hotels were built to house them.
- When these men were employed, they had money to spend on various services, including prostitution, liquor, and hotels. However, employment was often seasonal and scarce, leading to periods of unemployment and homelessness³.
2. **Drug Epidemic**:
- Skid Row has become a **haven for addiction**. Residents describe it as a "Disneyland for addicts." Various drugs are prevalent:
- *Heroin*
- *Fentanyl*
- *Crack*
- *Weed*
- *Crystal meth*
- Crystal meth, brought in by Mexican cartels and distributed by local gangs in **five-dollar bags**, is rapidly overtaking crack as the drug of choice. The battle between "Chris" (crystal meth) and "Crack" rages on.
- Substance abuse is no longer discreet. People openly smoke meth and crack using glass pipes. On Fifth Street, near the needle exchange, individuals inject **speedballs**-a mix of heroin and crystal meth-right on the pavement.
- Mental illness is rampant, with half-naked individuals screaming, talking to the air, and defecating in public. Despite the crisis, policymakers seem fixated on building luxurious apartments, while shelters remain insufficient².
2. **Skid Row Housing Trust**:
- Between 1950 and 2000, approximately 15,000 residential hotel apartments (the most affordable housing in Los Angeles) were destroyed, threatening Skid Row's residential community.
- In response to the alarming disappearance of affordable, permanent housing, community activists and business leaders created the *Skid Row Housing Trust* in 1989.
- The Trust mobilized private equity through low-income tax credits, public finance, and conventional debt to salvage hundreds of housing apartments that would have otherwise been lost.
- Dilapidated hotels were renovated and transformed into safe, attractive, and affordable permanent housing for low-income and formerly homeless individuals.
- Over the past 25 years, the Trust has refined its approach, providing not only housing but also supportive services. By integrating housing, healthcare, mental health treatment, substance abuse treatment, and counseling, the Trust aims to address the causes of homelessness³².
3. **Current Situation**:
- Skid Row remains infamous for its condensed homeless population, poverty, and crime.
- Despite challenges, organizations like the Skid Row Housing Trust continue to work toward ending homelessness by providing housing and comprehensive support services⁶.
If you'd like more information or have any other questions, feel free to ask! 😊
Source: Conversation with Bing, 5/4/2024
(1) History Timeline - Skid Row Housing Trust. skidrow.org/about/history/.
(2) Skid Row Housing Trust. skidrow.org/.
(3) Inside Skid Row, Los Angeles' Neighborhood For The Homeless. allthatsinteresting.com/skid-row.
(4) . bing.com/search?q=skid+row+ho....
(5) What Is Skid Row? - Union Rescue Mission. urm.org/about/faqs/about-skid....
(6) Skid Row San Francisco: Understanding The City’S Homeless Crisis. www.eyeandpen.com/skid-row-sa....
3 май 2024
