Posted on Nov 11, 2023
'Frustration all across the board.' A day with homelessness outreach workers in L.A.
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https://www.npr.org/2023/11/11/ [login to see] /homelessness-losangeles-outreach-workers-l-a-encampment
Imagine going to work every day knowing that people you're trying to help might hide from you. And even when they ask for help, you're likely not able to offer the thing they most need. And no matter how hard you work, the ultimate problem you're tasked with solving keeps getting worse.
This is the challenge for hundreds of homelessness outreach workers who fan out every day across Los Angeles. As the number of unhoused people keeps going up, L.A. has hired more such workers to try and connect them with social services, and eventually permanent housing. Although there's not nearly enough of that to go around.
NPR spent time with one outreach team to see what their days are like, in a place with more people living on the street than any other in the U.S.
Imagine going to work every day knowing that people you're trying to help might hide from you. And even when they ask for help, you're likely not able to offer the thing they most need. And no matter how hard you work, the ultimate problem you're tasked with solving keeps getting worse.
This is the challenge for hundreds of homelessness outreach workers who fan out every day across Los Angeles. As the number of unhoused people keeps going up, L.A. has hired more such workers to try and connect them with social services, and eventually permanent housing. Although there's not nearly enough of that to go around.
NPR spent time with one outreach team to see what their days are like, in a place with more people living on the street than any other in the U.S.
'Frustration all across the board.' A day with homelessness outreach workers in L.A.
Posted from npr.org
Homeless
Housing
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Los Angeles
Posted 6 mo ago
Responses: 2
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."One RV encampment grows after another is cleared out
On a commercial strip in South L.A., shabby RVs are lined up bumper-to-bumper along both sides of a busy street. It's the day's first stop for this team with the nonprofit group HOPICS, which contracts with L.A. county's Department of Health Services. And on this September morning, there are more RVs than there were the last time this team was here. The county recently cleared out another such encampment, and it seems like some people who didn't want to give up their RVs for temporary shelter just came here instead."...
..."One RV encampment grows after another is cleared out
On a commercial strip in South L.A., shabby RVs are lined up bumper-to-bumper along both sides of a busy street. It's the day's first stop for this team with the nonprofit group HOPICS, which contracts with L.A. county's Department of Health Services. And on this September morning, there are more RVs than there were the last time this team was here. The county recently cleared out another such encampment, and it seems like some people who didn't want to give up their RVs for temporary shelter just came here instead."...
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One of the Problems is not caring about those who have got a roof over their heads somehow,and alot of Builders come to build more Housing and jacks the price of everything thats' sold and brought,And Jack the Rent up and Make it hard to survive,like my rent went up from$545.00 to $ 875.00 and that took the extra money I used to pay on my bills and we let scammers go unpunished when they scam.people like I was ,And Now I can not pay but 10 percent of my bills ,and no one cares to Help there,And it makes it even worse cause if you move out of a apt. With the price outrageous, you will pay an increase in cost else where,and no one ever goes down on their price hikes in your rent,And Get this,Do the least wrong and you can not qualify for Public housing,And You are not considered Homeless cause you can not make your rent,You become homeless when you are forced by our leaders,,housing guru's
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COL Randall C.
Ron, have you contacted the VA*? What you described does the definition of "experiencing housing instability". There are a number of programs specifically for veterans that are designed to help prior to becoming homeless.
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https://www.va.gov/homeless/
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https://www.va.gov/homeless/
Apply for and manage the VA benefits and services you’ve earned as a Veteran, Servicemember, or family member—like health care, disability, education, and more.
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COL Randall C.
SrA Ronald Moore - I didn't add it in my comment, but specifically the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF)* program provides case management and supportive services for very low-income Veterans to prevent the imminent loss of a Veteran’s home.
If that isn't feasible they can also help to identify a new, more suitable housing situation for the individual and his or her family or to rapidly re-house Veterans and their families who are homeless and might remain homeless without this assistance.
Again, it all starts with a phone call - 1-877-4AID-VET ( [login to see] )
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* SSVF - https://www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf/index.html
If that isn't feasible they can also help to identify a new, more suitable housing situation for the individual and his or her family or to rapidly re-house Veterans and their families who are homeless and might remain homeless without this assistance.
Again, it all starts with a phone call - 1-877-4AID-VET ( [login to see] )
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* SSVF - https://www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf/index.html
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