Let’s Run the LA Marathon Through Skid Row

GUEST COMMENTARY-I find it very interesting that the LA Neighborhood Council Coalition called upon the City of Los Angeles, with all of its resources, to declare a state of emergency, unify with the VA and open a large-scale Crisis Humanitarian Relief Project on the West LA Veterans land in order to immediately house and care for thousands upon thousand s of disabled homeless Veterans … but got no response or action. Not even a peep.

But last Thursday the City unified with the Obama Administration, using all of its resources to close down streets and what not for Obama's fundraising trip … a trip that costs Los Angeles more than $1 million a day … not re-imbursed by the Democratic National Committee or the White House. 

And on Sunday unified with the LA Marathon and used all of its resources to accommodate their demands with street closures, bus re-routing etc. Which costs the City millions of dollars.

Yet today, homeless Veterans and all homeless remain outside of the Veterans West LA gates sleeping on sidewalks and in cardboard boxes, no better off than before.

Maybe the President needs to walk the streets of Skid Row and West LA. Or perhaps the Marathon should be run through Skid Row to the VA campus in West LA. That way, Los Angeles City would be sure to mobilize its resources and clean them up. 

Perhaps even provide some care and attention for our Vets.

 

(Jay Handal is chair of the West Los Angeles Neighborhood Council and Co-Chairs the Neighborhood Council Budget Advocates Committee.)

-cw

 

CityWatch

Vol 13 Issue 23

Pub: Mar 17, 2015