Homelessness: Convictions, Resignations, and Relief

Last Friday, a man who had recently been paroled was convicted of stomping to death a homeless woman in downtown LA’s skid row. It happened two years ago on one of the most dangerous streets of LA—San Julian. Though justice was served, it still doesn’t bring back the life of the woman who had already struggled with the hardship of being homeless on LA’s streets.

Today, the Housing and Urban Development secretary, Alphonso Jackson, resigned. As a White House appointee, he had a powerful and influential position in shaping how housing and homelessness was addressed in America. He was forced out of office because of a criminal investigation regarding cronyism and favoritism. Secretary Jackson visited PATH a few years ago with Governor Schwarzenegger. Did homelessness get any better in the last seven years of his leadership? You decide.

Finally, a witness in the trial of two older women who took out life insurance on homeless men, and then murdered them, revealed an interesting fact. He said that he too almost fell for these women’s criminal ploys. He is relieved that it didn’t happen to him.

The world of homelessness is already at a difficult and disempowering state. Clearly, when the top federal housing leader resigns because of a criminal investigation and those struggling on the streets are murdered or convicted because of criminal behavior, we have a major problem in our country.

From the top down, we need to fix a very broken system.


(Pic fro www.ich.gov)