Skid Row’s sea of tents and makeshift shelters has become the face of America’s housing crisis, with Los Angeles bearing the brunt of a nationwide surge in homelessness. Once a symbol of golden opportunities, the 'American Dream' now feels out of reach for over 770,000 unhoused people – a record high since tracking began in 2007. 📈
New data reveals a grim reality: Homelessness spiked 18.1% in 2024 alone, driven by skyrocketing rent prices, stagnant wages, and healthcare costs that force many to choose between treatment and housing. 💸💊
But instead of solutions, many cities are doubling down on crackdowns. After a 2025 Supreme Court ruling, over 20 states now penalize outdoor sleeping with fines or jail time – a move critics call 'criminalizing poverty.' 🚨 'These policies ignore the root causes,' says Maria Gonzalez of Housing Rights Now. 'Two-thirds of unhoused people battle mental health or addiction issues. Arrests only deepen the trauma.'
CGTN’s recent interviews with Skid Row residents paint a heartbreaking picture: 'I lost my job after getting COVID,' shared James, 54, outside his tarp shelter. 'Now they want to take this spot too? Where do we go?' 🌆
As tent cities multiply, advocates demand affordable housing investments over punitive measures. With 2026 election debates heating up, all eyes are on whether this crisis will finally get the attention – and solutions – it deserves. 🗳️✨
