Homeless "Cave" Uncovered In Los Angeles

Yeah, kick those homeless bastards out of the only place they know to live. W T F. If you're gonna destroy a person's only shelter, provide a better one or don't destroy it. Period.

Afterward, Caltrans shat on all of them.

"a measure of a society can be made on how it treats its elderly,children and weakest members"...
richest country in the world eh?
and by what standard shall we be remembered?
what a sad narrative......

I don't understand why they're spending taxpayer money to kick them out and seal it up. Why?

>> ^Xax:
I don't understand why they're spending taxpayer money to kick them out and seal it up. Why?


Well, it would be awkward when some inspection crew stumbles upon the subterranean society. It also sounds very unsanitary. I don't doubt that these people have other shelter options available to them. The majority of these people are mentally ill. It's not actually doing them a favor to leave them holed up in squalid conditions.

>> ^rychan:
>> ^Xax:
I don't understand why they're spending taxpayer money to kick them out and seal it up. Why?

Well, it would be awkward when some inspection crew stumbles upon the subterranean society. It also sounds very unsanitary. I don't doubt that these people have other shelter options available to them. The majority of these people are mentally ill. It's not actually doing them a favor to leave them holed up in squalid conditions.

sarcasm?

Richest most prosperous country in the world? Apparently some people were left behind.

From a medical standpoint I'd say that place was a festering cesspool of disease. Living under a high-way is not at all sanitary.

>> ^Tymbrwulf:
From a medical standpoint I'd say that place was a festering cesspool of disease. Living under a high-way is not at all sanitary.


Parts of it probably were and that's probably why they shut it down - because the state could be sued if they knew it was there. BUT - what's going to happen is people are going to sleep outside (health hazard) and their clothing and bedding are going to be stolen frequently (health hazard), they're going to be attacked when they sleep (health hazard), or just the stress of not having a home in a filthy life is going to be a health hazard. So yeah - it's not healthy to live under a bridge.... but it's better than being on the street literally.

And as for other shelters - People choose to live in smelly areas like this over "shelters" for a reason - I've worked with homeless people and the reasons for not wanting shelters are usually one or many of the following - they're not safe (things stolen, or physical harm when you sleep in one common area and you can't kick people out), they kick YOU out when you try to defend yourself or someone gets you kicked out, they give you strict rules that just don't work (like religion, having weird curfews and inability to stay during the day, etc that drive you nuts or result in your stuff being stolen) that are impossible if you have some mental illness and very difficult in general, or the shelters dont't REALLY exist - you can stay for awhile and then they kick you out because they don't have the budget or the room - the state can say there's shelters but only kinda-sorta, or they block you from using drugs but don't provide a realistic way to quit the drugs which would involve *allot* of expensive therapy.

Also,
All that stuff they were putting in bags and throwing away were all those people's clothes, sleeping materials, probably ID, money, cellphones, SSI checks mixed in - that's a devastating loss. It's like someone clearing out your house then sealing it up.

There have been similar encampments in downtown Portland's freeway (there are several that converge in the downtown area.

Portland tried to solve this problem by providing an area outside of town where the homeless could camp, "Hopetown" I believe.

My question is, who makes/enforces law and order in a sub-freeway dwelling?

During the the coldest time in winter, Chicago's shelters are at less than 10% occupancy.

I once gave a homeless woman a ride to a shelter and she was telling me how much she hates being in those places. If you leave past five you can't get back in, it's an open room with cots so there's people fucking constantly, prostitution, people steal your stuff, there are bullies, and there is a lot of drugs, something she was trying to stay away from because of her "weaknesses." So she preferred to find her own places.

People still want to carve a place for themselves even if they have nothing or don't have capacity to engage society in a traditional manner. A lot of these people do have REAL mental problems. And so many have just been beaten down and down, over and over. All those dwellers usually just want to be left alone.

god this makes me so sad, feels like they would just rather see those people die then live and be dirty and sick.

What makes you say the US is the richest most prosperous country on earth? don't get out much, do you?

Rush Limbaugh thinks these people are "reverse wealthy".

All I kept thinking was, "Hey, that stuff belongs to someone." ...as they just stand there stuffing it all info garbage bags.
Did they even give the occupants a chance to claim their personal stuff?
That is someone's world they are packing up and disposing of. As gross as it may look to strangers who make decent paychecks, the occupants, I'm sure cherrish what is theirs just the same as you and me.
*Truly Sadened!

I have been homeless at several points in my life. Contrary to popular belief, most homeless did not become so out of choice and not because they are lazy, stupid, or immoral. Many homeless people are victims of abuse in the form of neglect and abandonment by their parents or other caregivers. Some of them are simply victims of life’s tragedies, such as hurricanes, fires, or other catastrophes from which they simply don’t have the resources to recover. I invite you to my blog devoted to raising awareness on homelessness: Freethegods.com. There you will find an article I wrote on homelessness and pictures I have taken of homeless people. I always give them a dollar or two for the privilege of photographing them. I am often surprised by their cheerfulness and sense of pride. Often, they will show themselves to have some kind of talent. There is a fine line between genius and insanity.

I believe they said they were finding "safer shelters" for everyone that lived there so it's not like they just kicked them out to be assholes.

Kara Finnstrom filed this report for us, all by herself!

Seriously, she sounds exactly like Tricia Takanawa, no?

>> ^Grimm:
I believe they said they were finding "safer shelters" for everyone that lived there so it's not like they just kicked them out to be assholes.


u are an idiot if you think that is what they said.

They are welding up this cave, so that the homeless will be forced into the public shelters. Most homeless do not like to live in those especially in the summer for a lot of reasons. First of all, you must carry ID, secondly, you have to obey all their rules and curfews, and no alcohol and no privacy and no pets and almost no belongings.

It's bullshit about safer shelter, it just means they are locking them out of thsi one, and they have to find somewhere else.

As usual with these sorts of videos... Can I have the other side of the story please?

A brief mention of 'other accommodation was found', but I would have liked some actual talking with the people that lived there (that woman didn't she just came by sometimes)... I feel we're getting a one sided article... as usual.

>> ^spoco2:
As usual with these sorts of videos... Can I have the other side of the story please?
A brief mention of 'other accommodation was found', but I would have liked some actual talking with the people that lived there (that woman didn't she just came by sometimes)... I feel we're getting a one sided article... as usual.


I totally agree but the residents might be hard to track down - police like to issue trespassing tickets/arrests/whatever for this kind of thing (at least in Florida) and that's a collosal problem, more than for the average person. I worked with homeless teenagers for a couple years and was amazed at how they'd have this long list of infractions and major fines and jail stays because they couldn't get a ride the 15 miles across town to get to the court date for something trivial like this... or they couldn't pay the fine so the charges just start adding up. Nobody considers the people on the rock bottom when they set the base fines and requirements.

>> ^joedirt:
>> ^Grimm:
I believe they said they were finding "safer shelters" for everyone that lived there so it's not like they just kicked them out to be assholes.

u are an idiot if you think that is what they said.

u are an idiot if you think that is NOT what they said. It's right at the 1:37 mark...doesn't matter if you believe them or not...that is what they said.

>> ^joedirt:
Most homeless do not like to live in those especially in the summer for a lot of reasons. First of all, you must carry ID, secondly, you have to obey all their rules and curfews, and no alcohol and no privacy and no pets and almost no belongings.

Yeah..being homeless sucks...and your point is what?


>> ^joedirt:
It's bullshit about safer shelter, it just means they are locking them out of thsi one, and they have to find somewhere else.


I must have missed the memo that the homeless get free range in our cities to convert what ever place they find into a home. If they don't want to use a public shelter that's their choice...but it also doesn't mean they get to camp whereever they want without getting hassled.

>> ^rychan:
>> ^Xax:
I don't doubt that these people have other shelter options available to them.


Nope.
You can't just walk into a shelter and flop for the night. (I tried it once)
In most cities every residential AND emergency shelter is filled to capacity,
what they do is take your name and put you on a multi-week/month/year waiting list.

I did Cal Trans (California Department of Transportation) work for several months. It was court ordered (before I purchased my green card, if you know what I mean) so we ended up doing all the shitty jobs along the highways, such as the one shown in this video. Most of the time it was pulling weeds, chopping down ingrown trees, cleaning up trash (if you're lucky), but, in my short experience, I helped clean out exactly 3 homeless dens.

This happens all the fuckin' time. It sucks, but I wouldn't go so far as to say an SSI check, California ID, or something else of similar valuable would be floating around down there. I've known too many homeless people to believe that.

Like the news lady said, they'll find a way back in, just like they always have.

If I was homeless I would create a comfort zone/ shanty/ home... in a place that I would not be bothered...by police...by anyone shaking me down. This is the mindset of close to a billion people on the planet. Just about every North American state/province has cut back on social housing over the last two decades. This is the result... not to mention mental health cuts across the board. Smashing shanty towns like they do in South Africa and calling it a solution without seeing the larger picture of society is a failure.
Nevermind. I'm going to go back under my bridge like a troll.

"A measure of a society can be made on how it treats its elderly,children and weakest members..."

What about the government/society that celebrates victimhood, creates dependency and makes people weaker?

I've always wondered at what point do you give up and say, "welp, I've had a good run, time to live under an overpass and beg for change for the rest of my life"

If nothing else, why wouldn't you find a fishing pole and go live somewhere in the millions (billions?) of acres of national wilderness?

i just downvoted my first qm comment.
(i think, i maybe proven wrong, but i dont REMEMBER voting another one down)
taking care of eachother as a national ideal is not the samething as "celebrating" being downtrodden. i suppose you celebrate the kind of greed which creates this human refuse. with compassion, we all grow stronger.
im confused as to your idea of morality.


imstellar, then youve probably never been a victim of gross abuse or mental illness.

the homeless i have known and loved were either teenage runaways- victims of abuse and addiction. or the severely mentally ill. in one way they choose it i suppose.

i know very well what the point when you give up, reject the abuse and violence youve been subjected to and run. that cave looks better than another beating with the nearest kitchen appliance.

i never liked these kinds of underground squats either. i prefered camping on rooftops or the shanty towns that spring up around rail yards and creeks hidden in the city.

i also know very well the point when you give up on someone you love, who means the world to you, and sit by in your house with your paycheck while they give up and run out of options and choose this kind of squalor.

last thing i heard about the father of my children, he was brutality beaten at the public shelter and spent a few weeks in ICU at the county hospital.
the same problem exists with transportation. its illegal to quietly hop aboard an empty freight car and in many states you can be shot for having the gall to do so. but the alternative is to hitchhike (also illegal, but they cant shoot you) and hope the trucker who picks you up doesnt hold a knife to your throat while hes cumming on your leg. or take your chances with getting felt up when you pass out on the greyhound.

many teen runaway friends ended up joining cults. which look like concentration camps really, they clean you up, shave your head, put you to work and preach to you the word of jesus......... and of course they wouldnt dream of helping you attempt to locate some family or some assistance so you can get an education.


also, hiv positive men and women can not safely attempt to spend the night at the shelter, they will be beaten up. (which makes no sense)

>> ^quantumushroom:
"A measure of a society can be made on how it treats its elderly,children and weakest members..."
What about the government/society that celebrates victimhood, creates dependency and makes people weaker?


Bold words for someone who frequently flaunts his own "victimhood."

Admit it. You depend on the poor. Without them, who would you kick?

You underestimate the value of human life, and overestimate how very little it takes to actually improve these people's lives.

Remember how Reagan took an axe to mental health care? This is the end result.

>> ^bleedingsnowman:
During the the coldest time in winter, Chicago's shelters are at less than 10% occupancy.
I once gave a homeless woman a ride to a shelter and she was telling me how much she hates being in those places. If you leave past five you can't get back in, it's an open room with cots so there's people fucking constantly, prostitution, people steal your stuff, there are bullies, and there is a lot of drugs, something she was trying to stay away from because of her "weaknesses." So she preferred to find her own places.
People still want to carve a place for themselves even if they have nothing or don't have capacity to engage society in a traditional manner. A lot of these people do have REAL mental problems. And so many have just been beaten down and down, over and over. All those dwellers usually just want to be left alone.



How to solve that shit:
Individual rooms with locks (no matter how small they need to be)
Search everyone for weapons & drugs upon entry.
Books in the rooms.
Cooperation between the shelter and staffing agencies and mental asylums.

>> ^peggedbea:
the homeless i have known and loved were either teenage runaways- victims of abuse and addiction

If you were homeless as a young adult, it is unsurprising that you would identify with, and hang out with people your age.

I'm sure you have days worth of interesting stories from when you were homeless, but you really don't fall into the group I was discussing (after all, presumably, with internet access, you aren't homeless anymore?)

The median age is somewhere around 40 years in most studies of the homeless. Thus, while certainly many teenagers run away due to abuse, they are probably not representative of the overall homeless population.

The mean time homeless, from one study in Chicago was just under 2 years, with the median at 8 months, and the mode at 2 months; which confirms what I am suggesting -- most people wouldn't relegate themselves to being homeless forever. The majority are only homeless for a few months or years before getting back on their feet.

Clearly, bad things can happen to anyone which can quickly result in homelessness; but thats not what I'm talking about -- I'm talking about people who upon becoming homelessness, take it as a career, people like those in this video who are making an overpass their home and living there for the foreseeable future.

Theres nothing wrong with being homeless during a tough period, but I would say there is something wrong with the mentality that homelessness (sleeping on a bench, begging for change) is "good enough" and accepting it as your way of life with no plan to leave it behind.

What about the government/society that celebrates victimhood, creates dependency and makes people weaker?

Bold words for someone who frequently flaunts his own "victimhood."

My "consumer complaints" involve the governmental destruction of natural rights that exist no matter who's in charge: free speech, a right to self-defense (firearms) and a right to keep most of what is earned (labor).

These same rights are also your rights, so my arguments are also on your behalf.

Do not confuse enumerated rights with fake utopian rights like "free" health care, housing, transportation, jobs, etc.

Admit it. You depend on the poor. Without them, who would you kick?

I demand no more of "the poor" than anyone else: obey laws, avoid self-destructive behavior, maximize what abilities you have and strive to better yourself. Be willing to seek help but don't expect a handout, or the government to forcibly take from others on your behalf.

You underestimate the value of human life, and overestimate how very little it takes to actually improve these people's lives.

A good guess, but wrong. Allow me to risk being wrong and ask: doesn't a liberal underestimate the value of human life when the humans in question are wealthy? Do they not assume that all wealthy (or even middle class) were born into privilege and never worked a day for what they have? And do not liberals also assume that these wealthy deserve injustice because "they can afford it"?

Doesn't the liberal underestimate the capacity of people to take care of themselves?

With the welfare state comes the entitlement mentality, which is bottomless, while the resources available are not.

Remember how Reagan took an axe to mental health care? This is the end result.

Contrary to popular belief, there were homeless people before Reagan. The homeless issue is decidedly more complex than blaming any one factor, philosophy or person.

i just downvoted my first qm comment.
(i think, i maybe proven wrong, but i dont REMEMBER voting another one down)

No, there have to be others. I'm pretty sure you hated me when you first started commenting.

taking care of eachother as a national ideal is not the same thing as "celebrating" being downtrodden. i suppose you celebrate the kind of greed which creates this human refuse. with compassion, we all grow stronger.

im confused as to your idea of morality.

Since you have firsthand experience in these matters, I have to wonder why you think "greed" is the cause of homelessness. What about mental illness, drug addiction, abusive homes, etc?

Treating homelessness is a logistical nightmare. Half of the money set aside for food stamps goes UNspent, and even if you could round up the homeless to feed them, the ACLU would sue any organization that "violated the rights" of the homeless by putting the mentally ill in an institution.

As in all things, there are no solutions, only trade-offs.



I was orig. addressing the other side of enoch's quote:

"A measure of a society can be made on how it treats its elderly, children and weakest members"

Years ago I read a similar sentiment painted on a wall in Berkeley, CA...

The area of Berkeley I visited had a university campus, with tuition costs of 50K per annum, surrounded by blocks of expensive businesses whose walkways were crowded with young, healthy, able-bodied bums; what they lacked in money they made up for in self-righteousness.

They demanded money because, hey, you were working weren't you? You could afford it!

When hobos were roaming the country in the 1930s, they always offered to work for food or other items. Now there's an entitlement mentality, part of which includes blaming society for self-inflicted wounds.

What about the government/society that celebrates victimhood, creates dependency and makes people weaker?

To answer my own question, last year Florida taxpayers spent 100 million in "free" medical care for illegal aliens, Texas taxpayers spent 250 million, and California? One Billion dollars.

Do you think that one billion spent on illegal invaders might have helped these homeless people instead?