the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
May 10, 2021
As homelessness continues to rise in Los Angeles, the city sanctioned the opening of a 120-tent encampment at a parking lot. The program provides two people a 12-foot-by-12-foot space and a tent.
The city has contracted out the staffing and running of the site to Urban Alchemy. The company charges the city a whopping $639,120 a month. That is, $5,326 per tent per month. This is more than double the price of a two-bedroom apartment in the same neighborhood.
The authorities claim that the outrageously high cost is due to the 24/7 staffing required to run this encampment. People who live on the streets for any amount of time quickly lose many basic life skills. It will take 24/7 services to redevelop these skills. And yes, it does cost.
These services are what the city and county governments are supposed to provide. In fact, in 2017 Los Angeles voters agreed to Measure H, a self-imposed tax increase in order to increase services and counseling for homeless people.
Instead, officials are turning over all these services to private companies.
If officials take any action, it is not to house as many people as possible and provide the proper support, but to allow private companies to make easy money in the name of “helping” the homeless.