LOS ANGELES, CA – The left-wing government officials in Los Angeles County continued their practice of sweeping the homeless crisis under the rug by moving homeless encampments to other areas as the Super Bowl approached.
Community leaders have called out the county once again for moving homeless encampments near locations experiencing high tourist traffic, such as Los Angeles airport, to more quiet neighborhoods as the county prepared to host the big game, according to Fox News.
You should search some of the videos about how LA cleaned and moved all the Homeless people b4 the Superbowl. I had no idea how bad it was right outside the stadium!https://t.co/BS9avWjRjK pic.twitter.com/yBbX50ETCf
— BillsFan2021SB (@BillsFan2021SB) February 15, 2022
Resident Yolanda Gonzalez said she noticed a tent erected in front of the library across from her house near the Venice Beach boardwalk, and the number grew as the game approached:
“It started with one tent, and then, eventually, in less than three weeks, all of a sudden, all these tents went up. How many tourists come through here, and right now with the game’s coming, people walk up our streets.
“What have we got to show for? This is embarrassing.”
The homeless camp grew not long after an encampment near the Los Angeles airport was cleared by authorities. Yolanda estimated 40 tents were part of the new encampment.
HAAVEN Shared Housing founder Heidi Roberts called the City and County’s efforts to hide the homeless “waterbed syndrome”:
“Like, you press here and it bumps up over here, press here, it bumps up over here.
“So, it seems like they’re spending millions and millions of dollars just to shift people around to different neighborhoods when if they were smart about this, I mean, they could actually solve the problem.”
Way to go Ben Henwood!
Super Bowl 2022 shines light on LA's homeless crisis: 'There's no hiding this problem' https://t.co/zTP19rFkk0 via @usatoday— Deborah Padgett (@DeborahPadgett5) February 15, 2022
Los Angeles City Councilman Mike Bonin, representing Venice, issued a statement regarding the homeless situation:
“I am fighting every day for more housing, shelter and services to get people off the streets, here and elsewhere — and my efforts are consistently opposed by obstructionists who say they oppose encampments but try to block every alternative.
“In just the past few months, we have housed hundreds of people who were unhoused in Venice, and are on track to do much more —even as hundreds of more people are forced into homelessness in LA every day.”
He said that solving the homeless problem though housing and other services is the proper course of action, not hiding the problem by moving them from one place to another:
“It is ironic that many of the people claiming encampments are moving from one neighborhood to another are the ones advocating for failed policies that do just that.”
“The way to end homelessness is housing and services, which is why I oppose failed policies that criminalize homelessness and push encampments from one neighborhood to the next.”
(Venice Beach residents demand LA officials act on homeless encampment, crime: ‘Finish the job’) – Silicon Beach News – https://t.co/xVpUJnUfQa
— Silicon Beach News (@SiliconBeach411) February 15, 2022
Soledad Ursua, a member of the Venice Neighborhood Council, told Fox News that the city wants to hide the homeless problem from the Super Bowl spotlight:
“The city has always done this. They moved homeless encampments last April for the Oscars, and so that’s really their approach. They just want to hide it. They don’t want tourists to see this coming in.”
She said that despite the efforts of the city to hide the problem, the homeless crisis is in open view:
“For tourists who are coming in for the Super Bowl, this is something they’re going to see. Homelessness has now spread to every part of L.A. City.”
Los Angeles wants to hide homeless crisis as Super Bowl approaches, community leader sayshttps://t.co/dH6hGNs3TQ
— Fox News Originals (@FNCOriginals) February 15, 2022
Los Angeles is known for trying to push the homeless out of sight for major events. In April 2021, the city ordered homeless encampments moved in preparation for the 93rd Academy Awards, which was held at Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles.
DJ, a man living in a tent in downtown Los Angeles, said at the time:
“They came to us about a week ago saying that we had to move by Friday 6 p.m. because they were trying to clean up for the Oscars and they told us if we didn’t move, they were gonna (sic) just demolish our stuff.
“They forced us to go to the Grand Hotel on 3rd and Figueroa and they kicked everybody out of Union Station, so it looks better for the image.”
Report: Los Angeles hides homeless population at Union Station for Oscar award ceremony
April 26, 2021
LOS ANGELES, CA- The 93rd Academy Awards has come under fire as the city of Los Angeles is being accused of hiding the homeless as Hollywood prepared to toast itself ahead of the Oscar’s on Sunday, April 25th.
City of Los Angeles Accused of Hiding the Homeless Ahead of the Oscars: ‘They Kicked Everybody Out of Union Station So It Looks Better for the Image‘ https://t.co/WYA5dtUHoc via @BreitbartNews
— jsfalvo (@jsfalvo) April 25, 2021
According to reports, for the first time in its history, the celebrity-studded ceremony was being held at Union Station in Los Angeles, which is an area replete with homelessness. However, come Oscar Sunday, the homeless was not seen anywhere near Union Station.
DJ, a man living in a tent in downtown Los Angeles said:
“They came to us about a week ago saying that we had to move by Friday 6 p.m. because they were trying to clean up for the Oscars and they told us if we didn’t move, they were gonna just demolish our stuff.”
DJ stated, however, that the city did offer an option. He said:
“They forced us to the Grand Hotel on 3rd and Figueroa and they kicked everybody out of Union Station so it looks better for the image.”
Andy Bales of Union Rescue Mission, an organization dedicated to helping the homeless through food, shelter, education, counseling, and long-term recovery programs, said that he is not exactly surprised by the city’s actions.
ABC News celebrates the 93rd Oscars with its annual “Oscars Countdown, LIVE!” special starting at 1:00 p.m. ET from Los Angeles’ historic Union Station highlighting the transformative year in Hollywood! More: https://t.co/VqDp9kuSLW
— Jeff Smith (@JeffSmithABC7) April 25, 2021
He said anytime there is a big national event, Los Angeles tries to sweep its homeless problem under the rug. He said:
“We shouldn’t be about putting on a good show, we should be about doing good for our brothers and sisters, our neighbors who are suffering on our streets.”
Los Angeles city council member Kevin De Leon denied the claims, saying:
“While the 93rd Academy Awards are being held at Union Station this year and despite irresponsible rumors, no unhoused residents are being forced to relocate.”
He added:
“Since being sworn in, my office has been painstakingly working to house those experiencing homelessness throughout my district and we were able to offer housing options to unhoused residents in the vicinity of Union Station.”
DJ offered the following advice to the city of Los Angeles:
“If you’re gonna have your awards show, don’t have it were the homeless people are and you don’t have to worry about it.”
City of Los Angeles accused of moving the homeless in order to prepare for the Oscars https://t.co/a9TKwVMHJJ
— Bradford Adkins (@bradford_adkins) April 25, 2021
Reportedly, a massive wall of security fencing has been erected around the event venue and while the homeless were ushered elsewhere, celebrities present at the Oscars enjoyed gift bags containing free liposuction, designer skin creams, gold-plated cannabis vaporizers, affirmation candles, vegan bubble bath, IV vitamin infusions, and more.
On Tuesday, April 20th, a federal judge overseeing a sweeping lawsuit about homelessness in Los Angeles ordered the city and county to find shelter for all unhoused residents of Skid Row by October.
The judge’s filing was made one day after Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti vowed to spend nearly $1 billion in the coming year to get people off the streets. The judge has since ordered that $1 billion to be placed in escrow, with a spending plan “accounted for and reported to the Court within seven days.”
Federal judge orders Los Angeles to remove all homeless people from Skid Row https://t.co/XFW6jnnMtf
— Margot Miller (@ldmslattery1) April 25, 2021
Skip Miller, an attorney representing LA County said that the judge’s order “goes well beyond” what the plaintiffs asked for in their preliminary injunction. He said:
“We’re not evaluating our options, including the possibility of an appeal.”
Miller added that the county has spent millions on “proven strategies” that have “produced measurable results” throughout the region, not just on Skid Row.
Reportedly, earlier in the year, the judge called all parties to a hearing outside of a Skid Row shelter and said that if politicians could not provide solutions, he would explore what powers the court has to order and oversee remedies.
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