Skid Row’s Fantastic Five

The Los Angeles Downtown News lists five key people “who won’t let you forget how bad Skid Row is.” Here's the article. Day after day, this past year, these five people have made sure that the plight of Skid Row has reached the media.

No longer is Skid Row just a place for celebrities to go to on Thanksgiving weekend. Our city and our county are realizing the injustice of this area.

The Downtown News list the following:

LAPD Captain Andrew Smith, who arrived at LAPD’s Central Division in early 2005, and made sure that no one would forget the plight of Skid Row. At a meeting with the Sheriff and the Department of Mental Health, Sheriff Baca introduced the Andrew Smith as the “bravest LAPD captain he knows.”



Sheriff Lee Baca is also on this fantastic list. For years (not just this past year), the County Sheriff has worked tirelessly to resolve the terrible issue of homelessness.








Estela Lopez, the Executive Director of the Central City East Association, the business group that represents the Skid Row area. She was recently appointed to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority commission by Mayor Villaraigosa. Downtown Central City East Blogger calls her “Central City East’s most influential person in 2005.” Here's his comments and photos of her.


Jan Perry, the Los Angeles City Councilwoman who represents Skid Row. She has worked hard to make sure the public won’t forget the people who are living on the streets of downtown Los Angeles. I was recently on a television talk show with her, and am convinced she is committed to ending homelessness in downtown.





Steve Lopez, the Los Angeles Times columnist who has been writing personal stories of the people caught in Skid Row. The power of the media has always been acknowledged. It’s great when they use their “power” for good. I was recently on a homeless forum panel on the Westside with him. He acknowledges that he is “no expert” when it comes to homelessness. But he has been able to tell the “story” of homelessness like no other.