Los Angeles: New Housing for Homeless Costs $476,000 Per Unit

Yes, that’s what an investigation by the Los Angeles Times revealed. Quoting:

A Times analysis of the 29 projects [for the homeless] currently approved for funding found their average cost to be more than $476,000 per unit. Two projects will cost more than $650,000 per unit and five more than $550,000.

An analysis of state tax credit projects during the year before the bond measure vote found that supportive housing projects in Los Angeles County cost an average of $420,000 per unit.

So is the story here how liberal policies in California attract a lot of homeless people, or how inefficient governments can’t accomplish anything at any reasonable cost?

Both.

But the real crux of the problem is the politically incorrect fact that homeless people are seldom merely average folks who have had a run of bad luck. There is a massive incidence of substance abuse among the homeless.

Clinical depression is also common. One scholarly review of the literature notes:

Using standardized measures, researchers consistently find that between 40 percent and 47 percent of homeless men meet criteria for mild to severe depression

Then there is the fact that a large number of homeless people engage in illegal activity. One study of a large sample in the journal Psychiatric Services shows that 28.8% of the ever “ever homeless” in the sample reported having been arrested.

The same study shows that 26.4% of the “ever homeless” has been diagnosed as having depression.

Plenty in this study should engender some sympathy for the homeless: an extremely high number reported they had ever run away, been ordered out of their home by parents, or subjected to parent/caregiver neglect and/or abuse.

But that doesn’t change the fact that what they need is not a very expensive rent free or subsidized pad of their own. Rather, it’s more likely a facility where they will be drug tested, required to take their meds, given regular meals, and the necessary medical and social services. That doesn’t have to be something as draconian as a jail cell. But it does have to be something that doesn’t merely enable bad behavior.

David Lee Roth & Van Halen: Redemption Story

One doesn’t expect Protestant ministers, at least not those in theologically conservative churches, to be fans of heavy metal rock.

But Keith Brumley, of Northtown Church, certainly is, and has an interesting story to tell. Stationed in England in Air Force in the 1980s, he got an opportunity to attend a rock concert.

Two bands were at the top of the bill - Van Halen and Ozzy Ozbourn. Now, I wasn’t the biggest Ozzy fan in the world (much to my own teenaged son’s chagrin today). But I was a fan of Eddie Van Halen’s virtuoso guitar work. So I was excited to see Van Halen.

I waited, and out came Eddie and the band along with the lead singer, David Lee Roth. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. The band was great. However, David Lee Roth was so stoned/drunk he could hardly stand up. They started their hit song “Jump” over because Roth couldn’t remember the lyrics. And when fans got mad and started booing Roth (and throwing 2 liter plastic bottles at him on stage), Roth became livid and cussed out his fans. More boos proceeded until Van Halen was literally booed off stage. Amazing!

And now the good news:

David Lee Roth is now sober. Has been for a few years. And to redeem himself, he certified as an EMT (emergency medical technician) in New York City and volunteered to serve in the nastiest parts of the Big Apple.

And since he’s sober, he and his old band mates are getting back together for a reunion tour. This, of course, is after Eddie Van Halen had to deal with tongue and mouth cancer. With everyone healthy again, they’re going to get back to doing what they do best - making music!

There was plenty wrong with the culture surrounding the heavy metal rock scene of the 70s and 80s. But as people age, they do tend to grow up. Some people have a tougher time than others.