Skid Row Street Populations Rises!

  Seven years ago 50 additional police officers were brought to the skid row area by the Safer City Initiative program. Thanks to the program, crime rates dropped, and homelessness in the skid row area decreased. The Los Angeles Police Department reported in September 2006 that the skid row street population fell from 1,876 to 721 and remained below 800 for the most part in the last few years. However, LAPD is now reporting that as of December, “the number of people on neighborhood streets had swelled to 1,693 even as homeless figures fell across the whole country.” This also means that if there is a lot more homeless people living in the streets, crime rate will also increase in that particular community. They are several factors that are influencing the increase of homeless people living in the skid row streets. LAPD Lt. Shannon Paulson, who is in charge of Safer City Initiative, said that one of the factors that is contributing to homelessness in the skid row area is related to jail budget cuts forcing the early release of inmates. Many of people being released from jails don’t have anywhere to go so they go to the skid row area to get help from shelters and other facilities in the area. Another factor is the slumping economy. Many of the people occupying the skid row streets have lost their homes and/or jobs.

            Shelters and other facilities that help homeless people in the skid row area, will definitely need more help from volunteers and/or donations because due to the increase of the skid row street population, a lot more people will be requesting their services. I greatly encourage anyone who reads blog to go out and volunteer! Please help make a difference!

By: Janeth Avila Del Real
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-skid-row-homeless-20120328,0,3088327.story