Young Adult Homelessness in L.A. (apartment, to rent, mortgage)

[Lilly1224]

L.A. is very similar to NYC, in terms of the share size of the homeless population, but L.A. stands out because many of their homeless are young adults who do not appear to have drug/alcohol problems or mental illness.

Unfortunately, many of L.A.'s young adult homeless population consist of dreamers, who relocated to the area, without a plan. Many of these young people tend to believe that homelessness could never happen to them; despite the fact that they often arrive without employment, a network, or useful work experience and/or viable college degrees.

Why do these people relocate to L.A., when often they do not have the ability to live independently in their native home states w/out help from family? It makes far more sense for these young people to stay in small town USA, until they are able to save at least 20K to make the move, if they do not have a job offer or reliable friends/family in L.A. that can offer some level of assistance, if/when they fall on hard-times.


Homeless in LA - part 1 - YouTube

[Mike121]

Anyone that finds sleeping on the streets a better alternative to what they had at home probably has a really terrible home.

[genjy]

Originally Posted by Mike121

Anyone that finds sleeping on the streets a better alternative to what they had at home probably has a really terrible home.

Or just ungrateful of what they had.

Home is so uncool.

[Lilly1224]

Originally Posted by Mike121

Anyone that finds sleeping on the streets a better alternative to what they had at home probably has a really terrible home.

I don't think most young adults from small towns relocate to L.A., because of an abusive home life (although I could be wrong). I simply think most people fall in love w/ the fantasy of living the L.A. dream.

[1200RT]

Originally Posted by Lilly1224

I don't think most young adults from small towns relocate to L.A., because of an abusive home life (although I could be wrong). I simply think most people fall in love w/ the fantasy of living the L.A. dream.

I believe this to be true. Just take a sample from what you read on this forum every day. While unscientific at best, the posts often read along the lines of "i want to come to LA to start my [music/acting/dancing] career, I have $5,000 saved up and no car. Can I find a small apartment or room to rent for $500, get around on public transportation, and live on my $5k for a few months while I find a well paying job with my AA degree to support my dreams?". While not all these people end up being homeless, it certainly starts them down the path.

[disgruntled la native]

Homeless is not usually the case, they just go back to their hometowns. but you are right that there is a good amount of young adult homelessness in LA. some have addictions and mental disorders, others have no home to go back to (parents threw them out, parents themselves are incapable of housing)

[yamota]

the homeless in LA have got it made, no responsibilities, no timetables, no deadlines, just hang out at the beach all day, checking out the surf and the babes, not having to worry about freezing your ass off and finding a shelter or sleeping on a subway grate at night...all homeless people in America should move to LA

[Huckleberry3911948]

many are couch surfing and not sleeping on the streets. but they own no monopoly on failure of y generation to learn hard skills and failure of boomer generation to teach it to them.

[BarcelonaFan]

If couch surfing counted as being homeless, then a huge portion of the country would be considered homeless.

But then again we cannot discuss these matters in the media because so many americans are delusional to think that you're not homeless if you're crashing at someone's place or living unemployed with your folks at 30.

This country is conditioned to think that only the bottom of the barrell conditions count as something to gripe about.

A lot of Americans think they're "middle class" because they have some income left over after paying bills and think they're not living paycheck to paycheck. A lot of Americans think they're not homeless because they couch surf from friend to friend. A lot of Americans think poor people have it "made" because they can afford an I-Phone but no access to real financial security.

Sorry to go off topic but it sucks to see so many Americans brush off the inequalities in this country because the situation is "never that bad" according to the right wing.

I actually find it quite funny that a lot of the best and the brightest are coming with these "market" solutions to poverty. I saw one of these "innovative" ideas on the news a year ago where a guy created a craigslist like website linking people without homes to people in need of extra cash renting rooms in their big homes. Essentially it was just a way for desperate people who want to keep their homes rent out rooms to even more desperate people.

This was touted as a great genius solution to the problem of homelessness. A way to show people that it wasn't that bad because people were coming up with innovative solutions to economic problems! LOL.

So instead of goverment stepping in to alleviate, they leave it up to the same market that got us into this mess.

[Lilly1224]

Originally Posted by BarcelonaFan

A lot of Americans think they're "middle class" because they have some income left over after paying bills and think they're not living paycheck to paycheck. A lot of Americans think they're not homeless because they couch surf from friend to friend. A lot of Americans think poor people have it "made" because they can afford an I-Phone but no access to real financial security.

Sorry to go off topic but it sucks to see so many Americans brush off the inequalities in this country because the situation is "never that bad" according to the right wing.

I actually find it quite funny that a lot of the best and the brightest are coming with these "market" solutions to poverty. I saw one of these "innovative" ideas on the news a year ago where a guy created a craigslist like website linking people without homes to people in need of extra cash renting rooms in their big homes. Essentially it was just a way for desperate people who want to keep their homes rent out rooms to even more desperate people.

This was touted as a great genius solution to the problem of homelessness. A way to show people that it wasn't that bad because people were coming up with innovative solutions to economic problems! LOL.

So instead of goverment stepping in to alleviate, they leave it up to the same market that got us into this mess.

The U.S. government can not do much because it doesn't control the money that is issued or circulated throughout our economy. Many people do not realize this, but you will always have grave levels of injustice and poverty when all of the money and resources are held in a few hands.

I sincerely believe that the most efficient way to end poverty and widespread income disparities is to eliminate the private international central banking system, better known as the "federal reserve."

I guess it's just far easier for people to believe that they are middle class, despite the fact that they are one paycheck away from not being able to cover their mortgage payment or rent. In essence, 99.9% of people who call themselves middle class are really part of the working poor.

Darn it! I've corrupted my own thread!