Incredible photos capture the homeless Americans living in the shadow of Hollywood’s world famous sign
These moving photographs capture the grim reality of some Los Angeles residents
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By Sara Kamouni
21st October 2016,5:15 pm
Updated: 22nd October 2016,2:22 pm
It’s one of the most famous cities in the world, best known for the glitz and glamour of Hollywood.
But these moving photographs capture the grim reality of some Los Angeles residents – as the city has become the homeless capital of America.
44,000 people are without a proper home in the City of Angels, with many making do in cars, tents or makeshift shacks.
Many of the homeless live along the banks of the Los Angeles River, which flows from the San Fernando Valley to Long Beach, over a distance of almost 48 miles.
The problem has become so severe that have declared a state of emergency and are seeking $100million to deal with the crisis.
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The 2008-2009 economic crisis took a hefty toll on Californians, and homelessness has risen rapidly
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Many of the homeless live along the banks of the Los Angeles River, often used as a set for Hollywood blockbusters
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A major cluster of homeless live in Downtown LA, hiding under bridges or sleeping along railway lines
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An estimated 800 people live in LA’s riverbeds and storm drains, which puts them at great risk when the river floods
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According to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, the down-and-out population has increased by as much as 20 per cent in the city
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Earlier this year, the City announced a 10-year plan with the ambitious goal of ending homelessness
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The city hopes to hire social workers, offer quality housing and build permanent housing
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Right now, some 44,000 people survive without a proper home, many sleeping in cars, tents or in makeshift shacks
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Many homeless actually choose to live in Los Angeles due to its mild weather and social services
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Los Angeles spends around $1 billion a year on medical, psychiatric and social welfare care for the homeless, not including police costs
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Of the 44,000 homeless people living in the county, some 29,000 or two-thirds, sleep in the streets, tents or their cars as opposed to shelters
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Authorities have declared a state of emergency and are seeking $100million to deal with the crisis
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Los Angeles is usually best known for the celebrity glamour of Hollywood
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Between 2013 and 2015, the number of homeless in Los Angeles County soared by 12.4 per cent
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Meanwhile, the percent of those living in the street or in their car soared by 85 per cent
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The homeless population in New York, America’s largest metropolis, is larger at 57,000 people, but 95 percent of them live in shelters – unlike LA
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Los Angeles County is proposing a number of plans to tackle the extreme problem
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Plans for funding the initiatives still must be adopted, with the city of Los Angeles scheduled to vote on its budget in April
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There have been a series of past plans to reduce homelessness, but they are said to have failed
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Many of the homeless live along the banks of the Los Angeles River, which flows from the San Fernando Valley to Long Beach
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The tens of thousands of homeless people live in the shadow of the world-famous Hollywood sign
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Los Angeles County supervisors have agreed to release $100 million over several years towards housing the homeless
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$42million of this funding will be released in the first 12 months
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Homeless has been described as the most serious humanitarian crisis confronting the today
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It’s safe to say LA’s homeless problem brings a whole new meaning to the term ‘riverside living’
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