The Impact of COVID-19 on the Homeless Population
Eyal Gutentag on the impact of COVID-19 on the homeless population The homeless population in Los Angeles faces incredible challenges every day. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, problems within the homeless community have only multiplied. The crisis has had an impact on all of us, but those who don’t have a safe space to quarantine or maintain basic hygiene have been left especially vulnerable. California currently has more than 150,000 homeless, reporting the highest numbers in the country. Governor Gavin Newsom estimates that 60,000 homeless could ultimately contract the virus. Throughout the state, many homeless shelters have closed or reached maximum capacity. For some people, staying in the close quarters with other potentially sick individuals feels like too much of a risk. Soup kitchens and other resources have closed, run out of food, or lost volunteers. For those who are living on the streets, the pandemic is a crisis on top of another major crisis. Many homeless indiv...