Living wage would solve homelessness People
forget that many individuals are just a paycheck or a medical
catastrophe away from being homeless. Many find themselves in a
shelter when minimum wage isn’t a living wage and health care
costs soar (“L.A.’s homeless deserve our notice,
help,” April 17). I work as a nurse in a long-term care
setting. Within the last two years I have seen firsthand what
happens to those left on the streets for too long. Relatively young
people who have not had any preventive care end up in nursing homes
or emergency rooms with acute chronic illnesses. Eventually they
have an acute medical crisis, heart attack or stroke, and become
permanently disabled. Who do you think picks up those huge medical
bills? Taxpayers do. Those who could have been helped with a living
wage now cost $6,000 to $7,000 a month to house in nursing homes.
This is the harsh reality of homelessness that has not been
confronted. Multiply that by over 80,000 and see how expensive it
is. It is a broken system, and it needs to be fixed. When society
ignores its most vulnerable citizens because of a “not in my
backyard” mentality, we are in serious trouble.
Sandra Levy Salem, Ore.
Students need to do more than discuss
It’s great to see so many articles addressing homelessness in
Los Angeles, but a huge aspect of the issue goes unmentioned:
university students’ role. As UCLA students, we are fortunate
in the opportunities that we have (“Decision not likely to
affect campus,” April 18). Instead of just discussing the
problem and critiquing proposed solutions, we have a personal
responsibility to get involved. Numerous student organizations on
campus work to make a difference. CALPIRG is planning a Hunger
Cleanup, a nationwide event that will help the less fortunate in
Los Angeles and provide international relief to Darfur. The
Community Service Commission, Hunger Project and Social Justice
Alliance are just a few organizations at UCLA that focus their
efforts on the growing problem of hunger and homelessness.
Discussion is great, but now it’s time to take action in a
group and work to make a tangible difference in the community
around you. Immediate service is the first step in spreading
awareness, making a lifetime of impact, giving hope, and creating
the necessary environment for real change.
Jessica Carpio Second-year, cognitive
science