Los Angeles has the biggest homeless population of any U.S. city today and spends proportionally less on the problem than New York, Boston, Chicago and Seattle. There are more than 90,000 homeless people countywide on any given night. According to a petition signed by 54 prominent university researchers from southern California, and a companion research report from the Inter-University Coalition Against Homelessness, current approaches to ending homelessness will not solve the problem. Policy makers, service providers, and communities need to move away from attempts to contain the problem in neighborhoods like Skid Row and encourage broader community responsibility. In addition, added affordable and supportive housing, job opportunities, and services are critical. The petition and report are available on-line at www.usc.edu/sustainablecities.
Jennifer Wolch is a distinguished geographer at the University of Southern California (USC), and Director of the Center for Sustainable Cities at USC. The CSC is an admirable venture, and Dr. Wolch’s work evinces are deep care for the human and non-human world. A wonderful example of interdisciplinarity in human-animal studies. To find out more about the Center and its work, visit www.usc.edu/sustainablecities.
cheers, Bill
