Homeless encampments are commonplace throughout California, which has treated the homelessness issue in the state with little urgency. That is, until a major event comes to town.
Los Angeles has begun clearing out a homeless camp near SoFi Stadium. The California Department of Transportation said that this is completely unrelated to the Super Bowl, instead chalking it up to a safety issue because of homeless people starting fires. The convenient timing, just under three weeks from the biggest event in the country, is just an odd coincidence.
Los Angeles did the same thing ahead of the Oscars last year. Sacramento cleared out homeless camps before the Ironman California Race. Tourist areas such as Venice Beach have also had to clear out encampments. City residents have to live with these encampments, and the safety and health hazards they bring year-round — at least, until it may reflect on the city’s public image ahead of a big event.
The liberal bastion of California has 22% of the U.S. homeless population. Encampments aren’t just relegated to big cities such as Los Angeles, either.
Tulare, with a population of about 60,000, has had multiple homeless encampments spring up, leading to fires and to local schools and churches having to take increased security measures. The city has begged the state government to help clean up dangerous encampments, to no avail. Perhaps it would have more success if it tried hosting the Super Bowl.
Homelessness is an issue up and down the state of California, but as long as the rest of the world can’t see it, the state can keep pretending that all is well. Clearing out an encampment near SoFi Stadium will make it look good for the cameras, but all it does in Los Angeles is move homeless people to other encampments, which will be ignored until a big event is scheduled nearby.
