Stunning images show a homeless town along a Los Angeles freeway, where residents have built shelters with front doors, electricity and even hammocks.
The growing number of homeless people led dozens of people to gather along Arroyo Seco, next to the busy 110 Freeway, videos showed.
The footage was released as Democratic Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called on the city’s rich and famous to fund long-term “affordable” housing for its 46,000 homeless people.
The mayor urged the “lucky ones” to step up during her State of the City address Monday. His campaign, called LA4LA, would see wealthy residents help “fast-track” home-buying efforts.
“Right now we’re working on moving beyond nightly rentals,” Bass said. “We’re asking the wealthiest Angelenos to participate in this effort, with personal, private and philanthropic funds – to help us acquire more properties, reduce the cost of capital and accelerate housing.”
Among the 46,000 homeless people in Los Angeles, dozens live along the Arroyo Seco, off the 110 Freeway, near Highland Park (photo).
Residents of the highway town have front doors, a work force and even hammocks to relax in.
Democratic Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass asks city’s rich and famous to help fight homelessness crisis by funding ‘affordable’ housing
Along the busy highway, structures include a stone wall, a front gate and even electric lighting powered by stolen electricity, according to residents interviewed by KLTA5.
One resident even installed a hammock to relax despite the noise of the traffic. Disgruntled neighbors say the encampment should be swept away.
“It has no place here. It’s public property,” neighbor Mike Ancheta told the outlet. “But that’s not what it’s supposed to be used for. It’s dangerous. As you can see, someone is to cook there, over an open fire. They’re stealing electricity. I mean, come on.
Instead of focusing on cleaning out shelters, Bass announced LA4LA, the latest initiative asking the wealthy to manage the city’s growing homelessness epidemic.
This follows the controversial Homestead Tax, which introduced a 4% levy on all homes over $5 million in a bid to generate funds for homelessness prevention.
The tax was widely ridiculed after sales of luxury homes plummeted as the wealthy circumvented the policy, generating about $700 million less than expected.
In addition to the 4% tax on properties over $5 million, for mega mansions that exceed the $10 million threshold, owners lose 5.5% of their sales price if they decide to benefit from their inheritance.
The result was a 70 percent drop in sales of high-end homes, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Neighbors next to the highway said residents were stealing electricity to power their shelters and questioned why they hadn’t been moved.
Bass urged the “luckier ones” to help tackle the crisis through the LA4LA program, his latest homelessness prevention initiative.
Homes over $5 million are now more concentrated outside the metro area following the introduction of the hated mansion tax.
A breathtaking mansion in a gated estate in the affluent Los Angeles suburb of Tarzana has lost $2.9 million, falling from $17.9 million in July 2023 to its current price of $15 million according to advertisement.
Another stunning sunny property, located in the desirable Encino neighborhood, has been devalued by almost $1 million, from $12.9 million in July 2023 to just over $11.9 million today ‘today.
On Monday, Bass again insisted it was up to the rich to help solve the city’s homeless problem, which she called a “disaster.”
“We must rely on the humanity and generosity of the private sector,” she said.
“LA4LA can be a sea change for Los Angles, an unprecedented partnership to address this emergency, an example of breaking the status quo to build a new system to save lives..’
His comments echo those made about several other billion-dollar anti-homelessness initiatives across the region.
Bass presented his Inside Safe program as proof of his policy’s success.
The initiative has moved more than 21,000 homeless people into temporary shelters, according to the Associated Press.
However, the project cost $67 million in its first year and only placed 255 people in permanent housing, NBC reports.
On his first day, Bass declared a state of emergency over the growing homeless population.
Homelessness in Los Angeles increased 10% over last year despite billions in investment in the region
But despite its many initiatives, the numbers have only skyrocketed, increasing by about 10 percent last year.
The mayor also warned that homelessness could further increase due to the end of Covid-19 aid for low-income families and evictions.
The City Council has now agreed to pay $2.2 million to an outside firm to audit its homelessness programs, following a request from a federal judge.
Beleaguered Bass also faces a legal challenge from disgruntled business owners who say she reneged on a 2020 settlement agreement that promised to clean up homeless encampments.
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