Homeless Population

There were 744,000 homeless people in the United States in 2005, according to the first national estimate in a decade. A little more than half of them were living in shelters, and nearly a quarter were chronically homeless, according to a report released Wednesday by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, an advocacy group. A majority of the homeless were single adults, but about 41% were in families, the report says.

The home sits on property with a million-dollar view, but its plastic roof is held down by bungee cords, its only source of lighting is a few crude lanterns, its floor is covered with sand. From here, Bert Bustamante looks out on paradise. Each evening, the sunset turns the Pacific Ocean several shades of pink and orange, turquoise and glowing blue. The dolphins come, and the whales, sometimes the seals.

The city's one-night homeless count found 55% more people than a year ago. The third annual count was conduced last month by 121 volunteers, who found 7,305 homeless people, compared with 5,376 last year. Officials said 3,136 of those counted were living on the streets. The rest were in shelters, hospitals, jails and treatment programs. The count showed an overall 36% increase from last year. It was attributed to milder weather and the increased skills of census takers.

From his office next to Fashion Island, he can see the Pacific Ocean. From his home on Collins Island, he can see Newport Bay. But one night about six years ago, Thomas Mahoney got a look at a world that, while figuratively just up the street, was also one he'd never seen. He toured the homeless haunts in Santa Ana, first seeing only the darkness of the night, then eventually the faces that emerged from the shadows to receive his help.

Their apartment is in such poor condition that Teresa Arroyo believes it is making her children ill. Her son and daughter, ages 2 and 3, must use inhalers to ease asthma, a condition they developed after moving in and which their mother attributes to moldy carpets and a cockroach infestation. A rash on their feet causes the skin to peel away. Arroyo points out mushrooms growing from the ceiling of her shower. Next door, a defective water heater lacks a brace to hold it firm during an earthquake.

Census takers in Southern California are training this weekend for one of the most controversial tasks in the decennial survey: counting the homeless. The workers will fan out to shelters Monday evening and soup kitchens the next day. On Tuesday night, they will don orange and yellow vests and head to underpasses, encampments and other makeshift dwellings in search of those they missed.

Free transportation and lunch will be provided for the homeless who attend a Thursday informational meeting designed to hook them up with medical care, housing services and other benefits. The meeting is targeted to the growing homeless population in the Sunland and Tujunga areas, including the foothills in La Tuna, Little Tujunga and Big Tujunga canyons. Residents have recently complained to Councilman Joel Wachs about the homeless encampments, and his office is investigating alternatives.

There are always two sides to a story. We hear that the economy is good. We hear that home prices in the San Fernando Valley are increasing. We see new companies opening for business. On the surface, that's good news. But if you dig a little deeper, you will see that good economic times for some can create hard times for others.

More than a year after announcing a major revitalization of downtown and a crackdown on the city's homeless population, police say they have made a serious dent in combating public drunkenness and illegal camping. On Friday, Assistant Chief Pat Miller said officers on the city's west side issued a record number of citations involving these same offenses during the first nine months of the year.