This piece looks at the rising homelessness numbers in Los Angeles, local reactions from concerned business owners and activists, Mayor Karen Bass’s response, and practical efforts by a coalition to help people return to stable lives elsewhere.
New data show homelessness in Los Angeles climbing again, and people who live and work here are fed up. The official count found increases in overall and street homelessness, and residents are seeing the fallout on sidewalks and in storefronts. That drift back into crisis has reignited anger at City Hall from those living nearest the problem.
John Alle, a Santa Monica business owner who runs apartment buildings across the city, put it bluntly: “She doesn’t get it. She doesn’t see it.” He says repeated invitations for the mayor to see the worst streets in person were refused: “We’ve invited her numerous times to ride along with us through Alvarado, Third Street, Park View, MacArthur Park and Westlake. Come drive with us. Have a police officer follow behind for security. And she refused.”
The official count estimated tens of thousands living without stable housing in the city and county, with a notable jump in people actually sleeping on the streets. Local services that once moved people into permanent housing have been weakened by funding shortfalls, and that change is visible every day in neighborhoods with tents, needles and garbage. Folks who pay rent and run small businesses are seeing the direct impact.
Alle describes a city where emergency response struggles and violence creep into ordinary life. He says crime has “gotten so bad” in neighborhoods including Little Bangladesh and that, on the streets, they’re finding “people on the streets unconscious.” He recounts residents and tenants encountering overdoses and needles in shared spaces, a reality that pushes some families and small businesses out.
He gave a galling example of how broken service response can be: “From people overdosing outside the gated apartment buildings I own, to people attacking each other, murders, and calling 911 only to be put on hold for sometimes an hour, and then being told, ‘Well, you’re lucky. Sometimes it’s two hours.'” This kind of delayed emergency help erodes trust and safety, and it pressures landlords and workers alike.
Basic public services are fraying in places near the mayor’s residence, Alle says: “The streetlights are out,” he said. “The rubbish isn’t collected. The streets are dirty. It’s one thing to complain about copper wire theft, but we’re just talking about normal streetlights and replacing the bulbs.” These are the small, fixable things that signal whether a city is functioning or failing its residents.
Small businesses are paying a price for the decline in public order and safety, with owners closing early to avoid trouble and losing crucial evening trade. “When I see them having to leave work at four o’clock, I see them having to close their businesses at four o’clock during the winter and at dusk during the summer,” he said. “That’s not good. I want them to succeed. If they don’t succeed, they can’t afford to stay in LA I feel for them, and their problems are my problems.”
Alle has pursued a practical, voluntary option alongside law enforcement: transporting willing people home where support networks or treatment are available. “They’ve called us from shelters,” he said. “They’ve called us from parks. The people calling aren’t entrenched with the drugs or the gangs. They came here for noble reasons.” His coalition has used an AI-powered hotline and paid for transit to reunite dozens with family, a blunt remedy that eases local pressure while honoring people’s choices.
He insists their approach is humane and sensible: “We’re not gonna put them behind the slammer,” he said. He also notes how powerful reunions can be: “It’s a long road ahead, but they’re trying because they’ve seen hell in LA,” he said. “One person saved is great. Fifteen percent, and the 40 people we’ve saved, is tremendous,” he said.
The mayor’s office pointed to broader funding and policy issues as drivers of the recent uptick, arguing that federal and state funding changes played a role and that national economic pressures increased need. Bass also acknowledged she “didn’t anticipate some of the bureaucratic barriers” in trying to end street homelessness by 2026. For critics, that line sounds like an excuse rather than leadership, and the debate over who is accountable will shape the fall mayoral contest.
Darnell Thompkins is a Canadian-born American and conservative opinion writer who brings a unique perspective to political and cultural discussions. Passionate about traditional values and individual freedoms, Darnell’s commentary reflects his commitment to fostering meaningful dialogue. When he’s not writing, he enjoys watching hockey and celebrating the sport that connects his Canadian roots with his American journey.