To me, homelessness is one of the biggest problems facing our country. Each new mayor or governor promises to address the problem, but very little ever gets done. Our San Diego mayor sounded like he had a plan a few years ago, but I haven't seen much progress.
In Los Angeles, where over 150,000 people are homeless, things seem to have gotten worse. Tent cities have been created under freeways, in parks, and along streets. One particular unsightly tent city is in Brentwood, where dozens of tents, donated to the homeless by a citizen, have been set up in front of the VA residence at the intersection of Wilshire and San Vicente, winding around on to the main commercial street in Brentwood.
But wait! There is a glimmer of hope. Eric Garcetti, mayor of Los Angeles, has commissioned a pilot project for low cost housing, called Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU). Here's what it is. Take the backyards of existing residences and build small, colorful units for a homeless family. Many families don't use their backyards and are happy to help solve the homeless problem by offering their backyard. It's a win/win situation. The homeless have a beautiful new home, they pay some of the rent, the rest is subsidized by the government, and goes to the homeowner. The design firm LA-Mas has been leading the drive to even out some of the most punishing development-related inequalities in Los Angeles.
As I said, this is a small pilot project that may house a few hundred families, and is in no way a solution to the homeless problem. Homelessness is complex, but this program is innovative, and will offer a solution for a few.
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