Old hotels are being converted to affordable housing — and it’s changing communities

Author: Derek Beres / Source: Big Think

Los Angeles’ homeless population has swelled to over 50,000 in recent years.
While the local government has dedicated $138M to combat the problem, progress has been slow.
Charitable organizations are stepping in to house as many people as possible.

One turn changes everything in downtown Los Angeles.

Capturing the severity of Skid Row is impossible. The infamous tent city extends for blocks. Shuttered storefronts are backdrops to new cities, new economies, old problems. One moment you’re passing landmark buildings, boutique hotels, and chic restaurants; the next, you’re in the middle of the worst housing crisis in America. Well, lack of housing problem.

Because homelessness, as George Carlin used to say, is a misnomer. It’s houselessness these people suffer from. Without houses, the city’s 39,000 residents who exclusively live outdoors — the largest such population in the nation — are experiencing one of the coldest winters in recent memory, causing an uptick in deaths from hypothermia. Forty degrees is freezing to an unprepared populace, sunshine jokes aside. Overall, the city’s unhoused population is estimated to be 50,000.

Which has left the city struggling for resources. In 2017, a “homeless sales tax” was implemented in many parts of Los Angeles County, though the revenue gained has not shown any sign of decreasing the number of residents living on the streets. Good intentions have not produced credible results. The $138 million promised by mayor Eric Garcetti was plagued with problems from the outset.

Unable to rely on a system riddled with governmental bureaucracy, outside organizations are battling the issue on their own terms. Enter Healthy Housing Foundation, part of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. While the organization prioritizes individuals with chronic diseases, they are hoping to house as many people as possible. One method they’re finding success with involves renovating old hotels to provide low-cost housing.