((PKG)) HOMELESS SAFE PARKING LOTS
((VOA Russian))
((Banner: Shelter in Safety))
((Reporter: Angelina Bagdasaryan))
((Camera: Vazgen Varzhabetyan))
((Adapted by: Zdenko Novacki))
((Map: Los Angeles, California))
((NATS))
((Mel Tillekeratne, Founder & Executive Director - The Shower of Hope))
This is one of our two safe parking lots, and what we mean by safe parking lots is for the people who are experiencing homelessness in their vehicles, we provide these lots where they can come and park from 7:00 p.m. till 7:00 a.m.
((NATS))
((Zachary Woodworth, Homeless)) This is my back seat and I, kind of, ball up in here and just try to find a comfortable position to sleep. It's not the easiest thing to do, but it beats laying on the hard pavement or, you know, laying on a piece of cardboard, or many of the other things that you see people doing out there in places like Skid Row and such. (
(NATS))
((Mel Tillekeratne, Founder & Executive Director - The Shower of Hope)) We have a personal security officer on site to make sure that the participants are protected. We have a Porta John so that for people who need to use the restroom.
((NATS))
((Antwone Sanford, Manager, Los Angeles Mission)) The homeless population has increased 12%. So, we have about 60,000 people that’s homeless in Los Angeles. You have women. You have children. You have veterans. You have the elderly. You have those who have mental health issues.
((NATS))
((Zachary Woodworth, Homeless))
I've been homeless for some time. I was driving around, finding random places to park my car and it felt really unsafe and really sketchy and I was always worried about either being confronted by police or someone trying to, you know, rob me.
((NATS))
((Antwone Sanford, Manager, Los Angeles Mission))
A lot of our clients who seek an emergency service, they became homeless because of the rent increase in Inglewood due to the football stadium. We've had numerous people come here that’s from Inglewood. When you think about the 12% rate is, I could say, 3% of that came just because of that football stadium.
((NATS))
((Mel Tillekeratne, Founder & Executive Director - The Shower of Hope))
Today, you get a lot of people who are actually working or they're only working part-time, so they can't afford an apartment. Those are the majority of the clients we get in these lots. So, you know, you see how bad rents are rising in Los Angeles. You see how many people get evicted each year. Even though they’re evicted or even if the rents went high, doesn't mean they're not working.
((NATS))
((VOA Russian))
((Banner: Shelter in Safety))
((Reporter: Angelina Bagdasaryan))
((Camera: Vazgen Varzhabetyan))
((Adapted by: Zdenko Novacki))
((Map: Los Angeles, California))
((NATS))
((Mel Tillekeratne, Founder & Executive Director - The Shower of Hope))
This is one of our two safe parking lots, and what we mean by safe parking lots is for the people who are experiencing homelessness in their vehicles, we provide these lots where they can come and park from 7:00 p.m. till 7:00 a.m.
((NATS))
((Zachary Woodworth, Homeless)) This is my back seat and I, kind of, ball up in here and just try to find a comfortable position to sleep. It's not the easiest thing to do, but it beats laying on the hard pavement or, you know, laying on a piece of cardboard, or many of the other things that you see people doing out there in places like Skid Row and such. (
(NATS))
((Mel Tillekeratne, Founder & Executive Director - The Shower of Hope)) We have a personal security officer on site to make sure that the participants are protected. We have a Porta John so that for people who need to use the restroom.
((NATS))
((Antwone Sanford, Manager, Los Angeles Mission)) The homeless population has increased 12%. So, we have about 60,000 people that’s homeless in Los Angeles. You have women. You have children. You have veterans. You have the elderly. You have those who have mental health issues.
((NATS))
((Zachary Woodworth, Homeless))
I've been homeless for some time. I was driving around, finding random places to park my car and it felt really unsafe and really sketchy and I was always worried about either being confronted by police or someone trying to, you know, rob me.
((NATS))
((Antwone Sanford, Manager, Los Angeles Mission))
A lot of our clients who seek an emergency service, they became homeless because of the rent increase in Inglewood due to the football stadium. We've had numerous people come here that’s from Inglewood. When you think about the 12% rate is, I could say, 3% of that came just because of that football stadium.
((NATS))
((Mel Tillekeratne, Founder & Executive Director - The Shower of Hope))
Today, you get a lot of people who are actually working or they're only working part-time, so they can't afford an apartment. Those are the majority of the clients we get in these lots. So, you know, you see how bad rents are rising in Los Angeles. You see how many people get evicted each year. Even though they’re evicted or even if the rents went high, doesn't mean they're not working.
((NATS))
