Michelle had a job then COVID shut down the industry she worked in. She lost her job and her apartment. She now lives homeless in Los Angele’s Skid Row.
Homeless sweeps DO NOTHING TO SOLVE HOMELESSNESS! In many ways, homeless sweeps make homelessness worse. For example, Michelle says she loses all of her belongings 50% of the time. One time, Michelle was only allowed to take her backpack but wasn’t given enough time to pack her medications.
Jason has lost his housing paperwork and his ID. Jason has been homeless for eight years and on the housing list for three years. He’s lost his phone in sweeps, which makes it hard to keep up with case managers.
Homeless sweeps are psychological warfare displacing people who have nowhere else to go. We all want clean streets, but homeless sweeps waste taxpayer money. To reduce street homelessness, we need to prevent and solve homelessness. Pushing people to another block and taking all of their belongings only creates trauma and makes it harder for service providers to help them.
If you live in Los Angeles, here is a link for the City Council contact information broken down by district. Please reach out to your legislators to demand they stop the sweeps.
Nationally, please support Housing Not Handcuffs
We all must advocate for more housing and support services and stop homeless sweeps at the local level. At the same time, we must continue to pressure state and federal legislators. Your voice can help end homelessness. If we do not fix the affordable housing crisis, homelessness will worsen.
Click here to tweet, email, call, or Facebook your federal and state legislators to tell them ending homelessness and creating more affordable housing is a priority to you.
More on Homeless Sweeps in Los Angeles:
WATCH the Horrible Reality of LA’s Homeless Sweeps
10 Minute Warning LA Homeless’ Belongings Taken During Sweeps
