Winter storms hit the US, homeless people are getting tougher
Recently, California has been hit by a winter storm. As of the 10th, the storm has killed at least 17 people.
Severe weather has made things even harder for the homeless, a long-standing problem in many California cities that has been battered by winter storms.
This is along the American River in Sacramento County, California, and it is also a temporary shelter for dozens of homeless people. Robert Vincenti, one of the homeless people, said the bad weather made their situation even more difficult.
Homeless Robert Vincenti (voice source): I don’t want to be here forever.
River levels are rising due to heavy rainfall brought by winter storms. From the 8th to the 9th, Sacramento County sent helicopters to remind the homeless people living by the river to evacuate.
Helicopter broadcast: If you are homeless and live near a river, you are advised to evacuate.
But what confuses the homeless is, where can they evacuate? According to ABC reports, the Sacramento County government has provided temporary hotel accommodation for regarding 200 homeless people. However, the number of homeless people in Sacramento County is currently large, reaching nearly 9,300, and the local shelters are far from enough.
According to reports, the winter storm killed at least two homeless people in Sacramento County. On the 7th and 8th of this month, a 40-year-old and a 61-year-old homeless person died respectively. Rescuers at the scene found that their tents were under the weight of trees that had been blown down by strong winds.
Many homeless people in San Diego face a similar situation. Due to the rising water level of the river, some homeless people who also “set up camp” by the river had to evacuate in a hurry.
Michael McConnell, a social activist who provides assistance to the homeless: They didn’t even wear a coat, and some people fled before they had time to put on their shoes because the water level of the river was rising.
According to a report by Fox Television in the United States, last December, the number of homeless people in downtown San Diego hit a new high, reaching 1,839. McConnell believes that this is just the beginning. As rents and other living costs continue to rise, the number of local homeless people may further increase in the future.
Michael McConnell, a social activist who provides assistance to the homeless: All these factors affect vulnerable groups in society, and they may become homeless, leading to more and more people sleeping on the streets.
In addition, the homeless problem in Los Angeles is also worsening. Statistics for February 2022 show that in the Greater Los Angeles area, which includes five counties in southern California, there are more than 69,000 homeless people, a 55% increase from 2015.