Demorat-run Los Angeles County: Homeless death rate jumps by more than a third

by DCG

This will not surprise anyone who has followed the homeless crisis news of progressive-run cities (LA, Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, New York, etc.).

These cities spend BILLIONS trying to “solve” a problem they help to create. Yet they do NOTHING to actually help people in crisis situations and the law-abiding citizens who have to maneuver through feces, drug needles and criminals everyday on the streets. For example:

Liberal utopia of California: Business owners confront naked junkies and streets covered in feces, urine and syringes
Drugs, needles, feces and rats, oh my! Experience cocktails at a San Francisco bar while rats crawl around you
Failed city of Seattle: Police response to business owner whose customer was assaulted by homeless criminal, “you’re pretty far down the line, pal”
Insanity in Seattle: Homeless man attempts to kidnap child. Guess how many previous arrests/convictions he has…
Homeless Portland man receives probation & mental health/drug treatment at his 68th conviction

Last Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said in a that between 2013 and 2018 the number of homeless deaths doubled from 536 to 1,047. The overall death rate, which takes into account increases in the total homeless population in the area, was up by over a third in that same period.

From Fox News: “Put simply, being homeless in LA County is becoming increasingly deadly,” the report’s authors noted.”

Alcohol overdoses were the main culprit of deaths (27%) and the overdose death rate for homeless individuals was 26 times higher than among the general population.

Bureaucrats offered their concerns:

“This report is tragic, and reflects a true state of emergency on the streets of our community,” said Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, one of the co-authors of the motion. “It is unconscionable and inhumane for society to continue to turn a blind eye to this plight.”

“This alarming increase in homeless deaths requires immediate action to improve the care for our most vulnerable populations,” Director of Public Health Barbara Ferrer said in a statement. “As we work hard to secure housing for those experiencing homelessness, we have a civic and moral obligation to prevent unnecessary suffering and death.”

Gov. Newsom’s recent budget includes allocating $2.4 BILLION to address homelessness through building shelters, offering rental assistance and converting hotels/motels into housing.

Read the whole story here.

I searched through Gov. Newsom’s press releases to see if he had any response to this devastating report. He did not.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s most recent press release (before this report came out) touted how they have built more shelters. It didn’t address treatment for alcohol, drugs or mental illness.

I’m not holding my breath that any concrete progress will be made to address the real problems in Los Angeles County.

DCG