Lessons from Skid Row: Innovations in Serving the Unhoused

In the heart of downtown Los Angeles’ Skid Row, a neighborhood that has long been synonymous with homelessness, the unhoused outnumber the housed, and poverty and despair seem to permeate every corner. But amidst this landscape of struggle, something remarkable is happening. A vibrant community response is emerging, one that is challenging conventional wisdom about how to address homelessness and offering new models for change.

SecondGrace.LA - Organizing Angelenos to End Homelessness

But as the homelessness crisis has grown, so too has the realization that these scattered efforts, however heroic, are not enough. To truly make a dent in this issue, we need coordination.

Housing First Isn't Enough—It Takes Us to End Homelessness

The concept of "Housing First" has been a guiding principle in the fight against homelessness for decades. It's a simple idea: provide permanent housing as quickly as possible, and then offer supportive services as needed. While this approach has proven effective in many contexts, the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles has revealed a troubling reality: Housing First isn't enough, especially when there's no housing available.

Dignity and Potential: Shifting the Narrative on Homelessness

In the struggle against homelessness in Los Angeles, the language we use and the stories we tell have a profound impact. The prevailing narrative often portrays the unhoused as helpless victims or societal burdens, focusing on their deficits and challenges rather than their inherent worth and capabilities. But a transformative shift is underway, led by advocates and community leaders who are challenging us to see the humanity, resilience, and potential in every person experiencing homelessness.

Dear LA, We Can End Homelessness

Let me put my stake in the ground—homelessness can be eradicated, and it's up to us to choose whether we continue to let it persist or rise to the occasion and end it. This essay is a heartfelt exploration of the possibilities, challenges, and transformative power of community-driven solutions in our journey to end homelessness.

To End Homelessness in LA, We Need to Focus on Our Neighbor's Dignity and Potential

Walk through any neighborhood in LA, and you'll see fellow Angelenos without a place to call home. Mothers caring for children. Veterans who served our country. Hard workers who lost a job and couldn't find a new one. They are our neighbors, with dreams and aspirations, now struggling to survive.

Why SecondGrace.LA?

I couldn't be happier to help create Second Grace LA, the online community committed to ending homelessness in Los Angeles County. You know, and I know, the only real solution is a massive community response - thousands of Angelenos rising together to help the people living outside at the end of their streets—our unhoused neighbors.

Ending Homelessness Together, Once and for All

As there are many paths to homelessness—job loss, health crisis, divorce, and domestic abuse, to name the four most significant—there are also many paths to reclaiming the dignity and agency required to move forward—maybe as many paths as there are people. These are four of the steps on that path that I think made the difference for me.