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The opinions of THE LATEST’s guest contributors are their own.
Andy Bales of LA's Union Rescue Mission Talks About Tackling Homelessness
The frustration with homelessness in Los Angeles is reaching a breaking point. In a time of confusion, fear, corruption and incompetence, Reverend Andy Bales of Skid Row's Union Rescue Mission is very clear regarding what needs to be done.
In THE LATEST PODCAST, we go from our normal 25-minute format to a full 50 minutes.
Andy Bales, president of LA's Union Rescue Mission, has a LOT to say about how homelessness came about, how it got so out of control -- and what needs to be done next.
Though this disturbing story is very LA-centric, there are lessons to be gleaned in cities everywhere -- and possibly glimmers of hope.
I now include several links -- to the podcast and to several resources mentioned during the podcast.
First, I urge you to listen to my interview with Andy Bales. He's an inspiration. Here's this week's podcast (50 minutes):
https://thelatestpodcast.com/52-homelessness-on-las-skid-row-how-union-rescue-mission-helps
Here's a link to the Union Rescue Mission website:
In the podcast, I mention an article I wrote for the most recent edition of the Brentwood News, a community newspaper I started back in 1991.
The article is entitled, "A 22-Point Plan to Deal with LA's Homelessness Situation." It's a long article and will take you maybe 10 minutes to read:
https://brentwoodnewsla.com/a-22-point-plan-to-deal-with-las-homelessness-situation/
I also mention a YouTube video that features a young lady who discusses how LA's "pay to play" system makes it nearly impossible to expect political leaders to take action.
I've since connected with her, her name is Soledad Ursua. Here is her very revealing YouTube interview (26 minutes) given to a reporter from Epoch News:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaXhJHy3J_Y&t=1585s
In the podcast, I also mentioned some pre-fab huts for the homeless, built by a company called Safe Huts. Check out this website and be sure to watch the videos:
I'm getting quite a response to the above article I posted in the Brentwood News (see link, above), where the homelessness crisis just keeps getting worse and worse.
People want action, not "more of the same."
If interested in joining this conversation, please send me an email: [email protected].
Special thanks to Karagan Knowles, our student intern who produced this week's podcast. Karagan is a broadcast journalism major at Emerson College in Boston.
Jeff Hall, Editor
THE LATEST
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