As has been discussed here on multiple occasions, the state of California is in the midst of an epic homelessness crisis. This is particularly true in the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas, but it’s gotten bad in other coastal cities as well. There’s been plenty of discussion and media coverage of this debacle, but little action has been taken toward a permanent solution.
With that in mind, the White House sent some officials out to the west coast to investigate the matter and see if the federal government had any programs and resources available to help with the situation. So the California state and municipal government leaders warmly and gratefully greeted them with open arms to see if any significant progress could be made.
Naw, I’m just kidding. They told President Trump to mind his own business. (USA Today)
Trump administration officials confirmed Tuesday they are on the ground in California looking at ways to intervene in the state’s mounting homelessness issue, which President Donald Trump has criticized as “disgusting” and a “disgrace to our country.”
But many elected officials and homelessness experts in the Golden State said any White House assistance would be disingenuous given federal housing cuts have helped exacerbate the problem. Some also accused Trump of using the homelessness issue to win over conservative supporters ahead of the 2020 election.
“We need federal support and resources to build more housing for people living on the streets,” San Francisco Mayor London Breed said in a statement. “But simply cracking down on homelessness without providing the housing people need is not a real solution.”
State Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) was quoted as saying, “Trump needs to back off and focus on his own mess of an administration.”
Well, isn’t that just lovely? What’s more amazing is that these officials are criticizing a proposal that hasn’t even been made yet. Thus far there have only been suggestions of possible courses of action, including federal funding to build or renovate more federal housing dedicated to providing temporary housing for the homeless. They’ve also discussed additional funding for law enforcement to help get those people off the streets and support for mental health initiatives.
What sort of horrible monster would propose things like that???
It’s difficult to imagine what California’s leaders are thinking here. They are making almost no progress on their own and their own citizens don’t even want to cooperate. When San Francisco drafted a proposal to cordon off part of a large municipal parking lot so the homeless living in cars and RVs could park (and sleep) there safely, homeowners in the neighborhood came out to protest and quashed the plan.
Meanwhile, the streets are still being covered in feces and urine. Crime levels in areas where the homeless are camping are surging. The homeless are dying in droves, averaging more than three per day in Los Angeles.In San Francisco people are afraid to ride the trains because there’s so much crime taking place.
And you don’t want help from Washington just because it would have President Trump’s name attached to it and it might look like he was getting things done? (That’s the obvious reason, let’s be honest.) Fine, ingrates. Sink or swim on your own. I’m sure there are plenty of other cities that will be grateful for the help.