The ever-popular man-on-the-street interviewer Austen Fletcher put together a video of him In Los Angelas, California. That brief footage showcases perfectly just how dire the homeless situation is in L.A…
The whole state is now in shambles under Democratic rule.
The 4-minute video, which Fletcher (also known as Fleccas) says he filmed in just one hour, is presented as a final look at the area he’s moving out of because of the rapidly deteriorating situation. In the area, he explains, there’s been a 50% increase in homelessness since 2012 (the number of homeless now topping 36,000 in L.A. and 59,000 in L.A. County). As his video shows, the situation poses a very real health threat to residents. Because of the rampant drug use, filth, and rats, disease is proliferating in the area.
The video begins with Fleccas and his cameraman driving up to the heart of Skid Row. Lining the sidewalks are tents, human waste, and trash, including hypodermic needles.
The camera captures a half-dressed woman standing amid trash attempting to bathe herself in a stream of water from a fire hydrant. The sidewalks and streets are strewn with garbage — bags, bottles, discarded shoes, and heroin needles.
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s budget proposes a doubling of state spending on the homeless to $1 billion. It is yet to be determined how that money will be spent. We should watch closely to see how much is dedicated to addressing mental health and addiction. Early indications are not good. One of the few agreed-upon initiatives thus far is $20 million dedicated for legal services for people facing eviction. Not only does that not address the primary cause, it is a bad idea: Making it more difficult for landlords to evict increases rents and makes them more cautious in who they rent to.
L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, now facing a recall campaign as a result of his mishandling of this issue, has also pledged huge increases in spending on the issue. One use of the spending: Paying homeless people to pick up their own trash. Liberal Los Angeles City Councilman Mike Bonin is clear as to where the money should be spent: “So if somebody is living on the street, they have to go to the bathroom, so let’s provide some toilets,” he said. “If somebody is living on the street, there is trash that they will generate, so let’s provide trash receptacles. If somebody is living on the street, let’s provide showers.”