What Skid Row Taught Acclaimed Violinist Vijay Gupta About Music
Underpaid and Burned Out: Many Outreach Workers for Unhoused Californians Are Leaving Their Jobs
How One Woman's Search for Her Homeless Mother Became a Mission to Help Others
Giving Back With the Gift of a Tamalada
The Important, Imperfect Science of Counting L.A.'s Homeless
With Few Places Left to Go, Southland's Homeless Often End Up on L.A.'s Skid Row
Skid Row Land Rush: Now It's One of the Pricier Sections of L.A.
Skid Row in Los Angeles: A City Within a City
Player sponsored by
window.__IS_SSR__=true
window.__INITIAL_STATE__={
"attachmentsReducer": {
"audio_0": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_0",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background0.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_1": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_1",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background1.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_2": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_2",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background2.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_3": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_3",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background3.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_4": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_4",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background4.jpg"
}
}
},
"placeholder": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "placeholder",
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"small": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xlarge": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 32,
"height": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 50,
"height": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 64,
"height": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 96,
"height": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 128,
"height": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
}
},
"news_12090269": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_12090269",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12090269",
"found": true
},
"title": "VIJAY-GUPTA-8-photo-by-Kate-Bawden",
"publishDate": 1783547504,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1783551197,
"caption": "Master violinist Vijay Gupta entered Julliard at age 7. The son of strict, disciplinarian Bengali immigrant parents, Vijay appeared on Oprah a few years later. At 19 he joined the L.A. Phil, yet he was desperately unhappy. He also began volunteering on L.A.’s Skid Row, and founded the acclaimed Street Symphony.",
"credit": "Image courtesy of Kat Bawden",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-8-photo-by-Kate-Bawden-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-8-photo-by-Kate-Bawden-1536x1025.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1025,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-8-photo-by-Kate-Bawden-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-8-photo-by-Kate-Bawden-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-8-photo-by-Kate-Bawden-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-8-photo-by-Kate-Bawden-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-8-photo-by-Kate-Bawden.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1334
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_11903132": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_11903132",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11903132",
"found": true
},
"parent": 11902904,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN02-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN02-160x109.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 109
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN02-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN02.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 818
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN02-1020x695.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 695
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN02-800x545.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 545
}
},
"publishDate": 1643395028,
"modified": 1643652903,
"caption": "Denise Velazquez in front of the lemon tree her grandmother planted in their family garden in Monterey Park. Velazquez left her position as an outreach worker with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority as her health worsened.",
"description": "Denise Velazquez in front of the lemon tree her grandmother planted in their family garden in Monterey Park.",
"title": "01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN02",
"credit": "Raquel Natalicchio/CalMatters",
"status": "inherit",
"altTag": "A person stands outside, in front of a lemon tree. They look away from the camera.",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_11764382": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_11764382",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11764382",
"found": true
},
"parent": 11764275,
"imgSizes": {
"apple_news_ca_landscape_5_5": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38251_FGF12332-qut-1044x783.jpg",
"width": 1044,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 783
},
"apple_news_ca_square_4_0": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38251_FGF12332-qut-470x470.jpg",
"width": 470,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 470
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38251_FGF12332-qut-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38251_FGF12332-qut-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 107
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38251_FGF12332-qut-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38251_FGF12332-qut.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280
},
"apple_news_ca_landscape_4_7": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38251_FGF12332-qut-632x474.jpg",
"width": 632,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 474
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38251_FGF12332-qut-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 680
},
"complete_open_graph": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38251_FGF12332-qut-1200x800.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 800
},
"apple_news_ca_landscape_4_0": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38251_FGF12332-qut-536x402.jpg",
"width": 536,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 402
},
"apple_news_ca_portrait_12_9": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38251_FGF12332-qut-1122x1280.jpg",
"width": 1122,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1280
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38251_FGF12332-qut-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 533
},
"apple_news_ca_portrait_4_0": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38251_FGF12332-qut-354x472.jpg",
"width": 354,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 472
},
"apple_news_ca_portrait_9_7": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38251_FGF12332-qut-840x1120.jpg",
"width": 840,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1120
},
"apple_news_ca_landscape_12_9": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38251_FGF12332-qut-1832x1280.jpg",
"width": 1832,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1280
},
"apple_news_ca_square_9_7": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38251_FGF12332-qut-1104x1104.jpg",
"width": 1104,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1104
},
"apple_news_ca_portrait_4_7": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38251_FGF12332-qut-414x552.jpg",
"width": 414,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 552
},
"apple_news_ca_square_12_9": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38251_FGF12332-qut-1472x1280.jpg",
"width": 1472,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1280
},
"apple_news_ca_portrait_5_5": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38251_FGF12332-qut-687x916.jpg",
"width": 687,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 916
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38251_FGF12332-qut-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1280
},
"apple_news_ca_square_4_7": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38251_FGF12332-qut-550x550.jpg",
"width": 550,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 550
},
"apple_news_ca_landscape_9_7": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38251_FGF12332-qut-1376x1032.jpg",
"width": 1376,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1032
},
"apple_news_ca_square_5_5": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38251_FGF12332-qut-912x912.jpg",
"width": 912,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 912
}
},
"publishDate": 1564524934,
"modified": 1564534209,
"caption": "Robin Burton's search for her mother, presumed homeless in California, has morphed into a mission to serve as a guide for other families looking for their loved ones. She started a Facebook group called Missing & Homeless, followed by more than 60,000 people.",
"description": "Robin Burton's search for her mother, presumed homeless in California, has morphed into a mission to serve as a guide for other families looking for their loved ones. She started a Facebook group called \"Missing & Homeless\" followed by more than 60,000 people.",
"title": "RS38251_FGF12332-qut",
"credit": "Courtesy of Fritz Faerber",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_11638918": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_11638918",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11638918",
"found": true
},
"parent": 11638652,
"imgSizes": {
"small": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28689_04-qut-520x346.jpg",
"width": 520,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 346
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28689_04-qut-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28689_04-qut-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 107
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28689_04-qut-960x639.jpg",
"width": 960,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 639
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28689_04-qut-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28689_04-qut-375x250.jpg",
"width": 375,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 250
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28689_04-qut.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1278
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28689_04-qut-1020x679.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 679
},
"xlarge": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28689_04-qut-1180x785.jpg",
"width": 1180,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 785
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28689_04-qut-50x50.jpg",
"width": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 50
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28689_04-qut-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28689_04-qut-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 533
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28689_04-qut-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28689_04-qut-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28689_04-qut-1920x1278.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1278
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28689_04-qut-1180x785.jpg",
"width": 1180,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 785
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28689_04-qut-1920x1278.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1278
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28689_04-qut-150x150.jpg",
"width": 150,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 150
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28689_04-qut-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28689_04-qut-240x160.jpg",
"width": 240,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 160
}
},
"publishDate": 1513903787,
"modified": 1513971746,
"caption": "Lucila Velázquez, one of the “Top Tamale” chefs at the St. Francis Center in Los Angeles, shows off one of her cheese tamales.",
"description": null,
"title": "RS28689_04-qut",
"credit": "Blair Wells/KQED",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_10847938": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_10847938",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "10847938",
"found": true
},
"parent": 10844950,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessCount-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessCount-400x213.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 213
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessCount-960x511.jpg",
"width": 960,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 511
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessCount-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessCount.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1022
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessCount-1440x767.jpg",
"width": 1440,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 767
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessCount-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessCount-800x426.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 426
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessCount-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessCount-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"jmtc-small-thumb": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessCount-280x150.jpg",
"width": 280,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 150
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessCount-1920x1022.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1022
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessCount-1180x628.jpg",
"width": 1180,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 628
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessCount-75x75.jpg",
"width": 75,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 75
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessCount-768x409.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 409
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessCount-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1454018272,
"modified": 1454018455,
"caption": "Thousands of people have fanned out across L.A. County this week for the region’s three-day homeless count. That includes tallying the scores of people living on the streets of downtown’s Skid Row, pictured here as volunteers conduct the 2015 homeless count.",
"description": "Thousands of people have fanned out across L.A. County this week for the region’s three-day homeless count. That includes tallying the scores of people living on the streets of downtown’s Skid Row, pictured here as volunteers conduct the 2015 homeless count.",
"title": "HomelessCount",
"credit": "David McNew/Getty Images",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_10737197": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_10737197",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "10737197",
"found": true
},
"parent": 10736931,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/WomanWingsSkidRow-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/WomanWingsSkidRow-400x253.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 253
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/WomanWingsSkidRow-960x608.jpg",
"width": 960,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 608
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/WomanWingsSkidRow-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/WomanWingsSkidRow.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1216
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/WomanWingsSkidRow-1440x912.jpg",
"width": 1440,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 912
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/WomanWingsSkidRow-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/WomanWingsSkidRow-800x507.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 507
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/WomanWingsSkidRow-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/WomanWingsSkidRow-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"jmtc-small-thumb": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/WomanWingsSkidRow-280x150.jpg",
"width": 280,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 150
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/WomanWingsSkidRow-1920x1216.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 1216
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/WomanWingsSkidRow-1180x747.jpg",
"width": 1180,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 747
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/WomanWingsSkidRow-75x75.jpg",
"width": 75,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 75
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/WomanWingsSkidRow-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1446066037,
"modified": 1446066117,
"caption": "A woman walks past one of Skid Row's many murals. Many of Skid Row’s denizens come from communities far outside L.A.’s borders.",
"description": "A woman walks past one of Skid Row's many murals. Many of Skid Row’s denizens come from communities far outside L.A.’s borders.",
"title": "WomanWingsSkidRow",
"credit": "Steven Cuevas/KQED",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_10499482": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_10499482",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "10499482",
"found": true
},
"parent": 10498134,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-mural-JP1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-mural-JP1-400x233.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 233
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-mural-JP1-960x560.jpg",
"width": 960,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 560
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-mural-JP1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-mural-JP1.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1120
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-mural-JP1-1440x840.jpg",
"width": 1440,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 840
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-mural-JP1-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-mural-JP1-800x467.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 467
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-mural-JP1-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-mural-JP1-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-mural-JP1-1180x688.jpg",
"width": 1180,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 688
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-mural-JP1-75x75.jpg",
"width": 75,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 75
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-mural-JP1-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1429756939,
"modified": 1429756987,
"caption": "Activist Jeff Page on San Julian Street in Skid Row, site of an ongoing mural project he spearheaded. ",
"description": "Activist Jeff Page on San Julian Street in Skid Row, site of an ongoing mural project he spearheaded. ",
"title": "HOUSING-SK-mural-JP",
"credit": "Steven Cuevas KQED",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"news_10480651": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "news_10480651",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "10480651",
"found": true
},
"parent": 10479996,
"imgSizes": {
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-lapd-arrest1920-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 576
},
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-lapd-arrest1920-400x267.jpg",
"width": 400,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 267
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-lapd-arrest1920-320x213.jpg",
"width": 320,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 213
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-lapd-arrest1920-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 372
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-lapd-arrest1920.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280
},
"large": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-lapd-arrest1920-1440x960.jpg",
"width": 1440,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 960
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-lapd-arrest1920-96x96.jpg",
"width": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 96
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-lapd-arrest1920-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 533
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-lapd-arrest1920-64x64.jpg",
"width": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 64
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-lapd-arrest1920-32x32.jpg",
"width": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 32
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-lapd-arrest1920-1180x787.jpg",
"width": 1180,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 787
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-lapd-arrest1920-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 512
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-lapd-arrest1920-75x75.jpg",
"width": 75,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 75
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-lapd-arrest1920-128x128.jpg",
"width": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg",
"height": 128
}
},
"publishDate": 1428373757,
"modified": 1428373830,
"caption": "LAPD detain an unidentified man on San Pedro Street in Skid Row. Police and homeless residents generally have a respectful, if tenuous, relationship.",
"description": null,
"title": "SR-lapd-arrest1920",
"credit": "Steven Cuevas/KQED",
"status": "inherit",
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
}
},
"audioPlayerReducer": {
"postId": "stream_live",
"isPaused": true,
"isPlaying": false,
"pfsActive": false,
"pledgeModalIsOpen": true,
"playerDrawerIsOpen": false,
"liveAudioPlayStartedAt": 0,
"liveAudioPlayContext": ""
},
"authorsReducer": {
"byline_news_11902904": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_news_11902904",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_news_11902904",
"name": "\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/author/manuela-tobias/\">Manuela Tobias\u003c/a>",
"isLoading": false
},
"rachael-myrow": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "251",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "251",
"found": true
},
"name": "Rachael Myrow",
"firstName": "Rachael",
"lastName": "Myrow",
"slug": "rachael-myrow",
"email": "rmyrow@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"news"
],
"title": "Senior Editor of KQED's Silicon Valley News Desk",
"bio": "• I write and edit stories about how Silicon Valley power and policies shape everyday life in California. I’m also passionate about making Bay Area history and culture more accessible to a broad public. • I’ve been a journalist for most of my life, starting in high school with The Franklin Press in Los Angeles, where I grew up. While earning my first degree in English at UC Berkeley, I got my start in public radio at KALX-FM. After completing a second degree in journalism at Cal, I landed my first professional job at Marketplace, then moved on to KPCC (now LAist), and then KQED, where I hosted The California Report for more than seven years. • My reporting has appeared on NPR, The World, WBUR’s \u003ci>Here & Now\u003c/i>, and the BBC. I also guest host for KQED’s \u003ci>Forum\u003c/i>, as well as the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco. • I speak periodically on media, democracy and technology issues, and do voiceover work for documentaries and educational video projects. • Outside of the studio, you'll find me hiking Bay Area trails and whipping up Insta-ready meals in my kitchen. • I do not accept gifts, money, or favors from anyone connected to my reporting, I don't pay people for information, and I do not support or donate to political causes. • I strive to treat the people I report on with fairness, honesty, and respect. I also recognize there are often multiple sides to a story and work to verify information through multiple sources and documentation. If I get something wrong, I correct it.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/87bf8cb5874e045cdff430523a6d48b1?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "rachaelmyrow",
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": "https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachaelmyrow/",
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"edit_others_posts",
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "futureofyou",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "bayareabites",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "stateofhealth",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "science",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "food",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "forum",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "liveblog",
"roles": [
"author"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Rachael Myrow | KQED",
"description": "Senior Editor of KQED's Silicon Valley News Desk",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/87bf8cb5874e045cdff430523a6d48b1?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/87bf8cb5874e045cdff430523a6d48b1?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/rachael-myrow"
},
"scuevas": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "2600",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "2600",
"found": true
},
"name": "Steven Cuevas",
"firstName": "Steven",
"lastName": "Cuevas",
"slug": "scuevas",
"email": "scuevas@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": "Steven is a former Los Angeles bureau chief for The California Report.\r\n\r\nHe reports on an array of issues across the Southland, from immigration and regional politics to religion, the performing arts and pop culture.\r\n\r\nPrior to joining KQED in 2012, Steven covered Inland southern California for KPCC in Pasadena. He also helped establish the first newsroom at \u003ca href=\"http://kut.org/\">KUT\u003c/a> in Austin, Texas where he was a general assignment reporter.\r\n\r\nSteven has received numerous awards for his reporting including an RTNDA Edward R. Murrow Award for investigative reporting in addition to awards from the LA Press Club, the Associated Press and the Society for Professional Journalists.\r\n\r\nSteven grew up in and around San Francisco and now lives in Pasadena just a short jog from the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/bbb0bb7b496f83ab350e23ad0dc7c81c?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"contributor"
]
},
{
"site": "stateofhealth",
"roles": [
"author"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Steven Cuevas | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/bbb0bb7b496f83ab350e23ad0dc7c81c?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/bbb0bb7b496f83ab350e23ad0dc7c81c?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/scuevas"
},
"trubio": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11311",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11311",
"found": true
},
"name": "Tena Rubio",
"firstName": "Tena",
"lastName": "Rubio",
"slug": "trubio",
"email": "trubio@KQED.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": null,
"bio": " \r\n\r\n\u003cstrong>TENA RUBIO \u003c/strong>is an award-winning radio journalist and multimedia producer based in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Currently, she works on contract as a producer and reporter for KQED Public Radio. She was the managing editor of NPR’s \u003cem>Latino USA \u003c/em>and is the former host & executive producer of the news magazine radio show, \u003cem>Making Contact\u003c/em>. Previously, a TV producer and newswriter, Tena continues to produce and report for various radio outlets across the country. Tena is currently the Board Secretary and Elections Chair for the Association of Independents in Radio (AIR).\r\n\r\n ",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/3ff35feefc3472ea9e4e43ecd4df283b?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "@tenarubio",
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"author"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Tena Rubio | KQED",
"description": null,
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/3ff35feefc3472ea9e4e43ecd4df283b?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/3ff35feefc3472ea9e4e43ecd4df283b?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/trubio"
}
},
"pagesReducer": {
"news_tag_skid-row": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_17954",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "17954",
"score": 9.888834
},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Skid Row",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Skid Row Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 17988,
"slug": "skid-row",
"isLoading": false,
"title": "Skid Row",
"pageMeta": {
"site": "news",
"WpPageTemplate": "page-topic-editorial"
},
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "kqed/post-list",
"attrs": {
"layout": "cardArticle2",
"query": "posts/news?tag=skid-row",
"seeMore": true
}
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad"
}
]
}
},
"pfsSessionReducer": {},
"postsReducer": {
"stream_live": {
"type": "live",
"id": "stream_live",
"audioUrl": "https://streams.kqed.org/kqedradio",
"title": "Live Stream",
"excerpt": "Live Stream information currently unavailable.",
"link": "/radio",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "KQED Live",
"link": "/"
}
},
"stream_kqedNewscast": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stream_kqedNewscast",
"audioUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/RDnews/newscast.mp3?_=1",
"title": "KQED Newscast",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "88.5 FM",
"link": "/"
}
},
"news_12090227": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_12090227",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "12090227",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1783692018000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "what-skid-row-taught-acclaimed-violinist-vijay-gupta-about-music",
"title": "What Skid Row Taught Acclaimed Violinist Vijay Gupta About Music",
"publishDate": 1783692018,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "What Skid Row Taught Acclaimed Violinist Vijay Gupta About Music | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>Acclaimed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/los-angeles\">violinist Vijay Gupta\u003c/a> still sees his late father everywhere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He’d appear unexpectedly, like when a concert hall conductor pointed to his chest to coax more heart out of a musician, something that Gupta’s dad would do when coaching the young Vijay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And it was like, there’s dad,” Gupta said. “And he’d already been gone for a couple years, and yet there he was like he had never gone. He had never abandoned me. He had never died.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gupta’s parents, Bengali immigrants, loom large in the pages of his new memoir \u003cem>Restrung\u003c/em>. Especially his father, Vivek Gupta — Vijay’s biggest mentor, his toughest musical coach and a brutal disciplinarian.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If Vivek heard his son pause when he should have been practicing, Vijay risked another beating. The violin became as much a shield against the blows as it was an instrument of music, and a refuge for Vijay. But his dad also came up with creative schemes to push young Vijay into the spotlight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When I was 7 or 8 years old, he was writing to famous people as me,” Gupta said. “He would write to Oprah, David Letterman, Sally Jessy Raphael and Zubin Mehta, and it was sort of like I was living in a world made of his dreams.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When he was 9 years old, Gupta was among a group of young, Juilliard-trained violin protégées invited to accompany rapper Coolio onstage at the 1995 Billboard Awards. The quintet of violinists accompanied the rapper on “Gangsta’s Paradise,” a song featuring lyrics that would foreshadow Gupta’s life in his mid-20s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRveeMoCDiw\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m 23 now, but will I see 24? / The way things are goin’, I don’t know / Tell me why we are so blind to see, that the ones we hurt are you and me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ten years later, at age 19, after pursuing two university undergrad degrees — one in medicine, the other in music — Gupta won a seat on the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra. He did so after acing his very first audition, becoming the youngest violinist to ever join a major orchestra in the United States.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I didn’t know what I signed up for at 19 years old. I just happened to get that gig,” Gupta said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Suddenly, he was earning a six-figure salary but still didn’t know how to drive a car or do online banking. His father joined him on his cross-country trek from New York to Los Angeles, the two moving into a small apartment together. His mother managed his finances from New York, explaining to her son that his salary would also help support family in the U.S. and the Indian state of West Bengal. It’s a decision that would later lead to financial calamity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12090270\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12090270 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-9-photo-by-Kate-Bawden.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-9-photo-by-Kate-Bawden.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-9-photo-by-Kate-Bawden-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-9-photo-by-Kate-Bawden-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Master violinist Vijay Gupta entered Juilliard at age 7. The son of strict, disciplinarian Bengali immigrant parents, Vijay appeared on Oprah a few years later. At 19, he joined the L.A. Phil, yet he was desperately unhappy. He also began volunteering on L.A.’s Skid Row and founded the acclaimed Street Symphony. \u003ccite>(Image courtesy of Kat Bawden)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I was suddenly supporting my family, and I got tenure, and I don’t want to be there,” Gupta said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So, five years later, I’m eating my feelings and all I’m thinking about during L.A. Phil concerts is my post-concert In-N-Out order, and how many bottles of Russian River pinot I’m going to drink that night,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Five years into his stint with the L.A. Phil and deeply unhappy, Gupta began pursuing a second musical path. He said he wanted to take professional-level classical music out of “stuffy” concert halls and bring it into much different concert settings: jails, homeless shelters, prisons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He headed to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/skid-row\">Skid Row\u003c/a>, a part of downtown Los Angeles he discovered while on a driving lesson with his father. Just a little over a mile away from the footlights of Walt Disney Concert Hall, Skid Row is home to the largest concentration of homeless people in the United States. Gupta tapped a few other L.A. Phil musicians to form the \u003ca href=\"https://www.streetsymphony.org/\">Street Symphony\u003c/a>. The nonprofit ensemble has since evolved into a sprawling collective of professional and amateur musicians spanning a host of genres.[aside postID=news_12088748 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260618-PASADENA-ROCK-OPERA-SC01-KQED.jpg']One of the first people Gupta reached out to was Georgia Hawley, communications director at \u003ca href=\"https://www.midnightmission.org/events-musicwithamission/\">The Midnight Mission\u003c/a>, Los Angeles’s longest-running homeless shelter offering meals, drug rehabilitation and other services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He called and said, ‘Hey, I have this group called Street Symphony, and I want to come and play. Do I need to audition? Should I send you a tape? What do you need?’” Hawley said. “And I said, ‘Well, our next opening is Thursday … are you available?’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the time, Hawley had just launched the Music with a Mission program, offering free, weekly concerts for shelter clients. She has since worked closely with Gupta on hundreds of music events in Skid Row.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You know, he fought a lot with being this young person who was in this adult world and having to behave a certain way and act a certain way, and he was supporting his family,” Hawley said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think just not having an outlet to talk to people about that and to say, ‘I’m hurt, I’m scared.’ And I think the more he tried to help others, the more he couldn’t ignore what was happening to him.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Skid Row would end up becoming something of a mirror, a pathway for Gupta to finally reconcile his own demons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zGAgEBl3ws&t=2599s\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The real transformation started happening for me in Skid Row was when people said, ‘Hey Vijay, it’s good that you’re coming here to walk your steps, keep coming.’ What are you talking about? I’m here to bring you joy, I’m the healer! And they’re like, ‘Yeah, yeah. Keep coming,’” Gupta said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Walk your steps,” meaning the guiding principles of the 12-Step program used in rehab. People in Skid Row wanted to show Gupta something they could see, but that he couldn’t — or wouldn’t — see himself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I would not have admitted to anyone that I was as much an addict, not only to food and alcohol, but everybody else’s version of who I should be,” Gupta said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the meantime, Gupta kept up a frenetic performing schedule. In addition to his role at L.A. Phil, he began doing public speaking events where he’d take his violin and lecture about classical music and its connection to neuroscience, social activism and spirituality.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12090268\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 1428px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12090268\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/2.-VIJAY-GUPTA-2025-photo-Kate-Bawden.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1428\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/2.-VIJAY-GUPTA-2025-photo-Kate-Bawden.jpg 1428w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/2.-VIJAY-GUPTA-2025-photo-Kate-Bawden-160x224.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/2.-VIJAY-GUPTA-2025-photo-Kate-Bawden-1097x1536.jpg 1097w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1428px) 100vw, 1428px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Master violinist Vijay Gupta entered Juilliard at age 7. The son of strict, disciplinarian Bengali immigrant parents, Vijay appeared on Oprah a few years later. At 19, he joined the L.A. Phil, yet he was desperately unhappy. He also began volunteering on L.A.’s Skid Row, and founded the acclaimed Street Symphony. \u003ccite>(Image courtesy of Kat Bawden)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>At a 2012 Grantmakers in the Arts conference in Miami, Gupta appeared on stage in a rumpled suit, his shirttails sticking out beneath his navy-blue blazer. He was much heavier then and still drinking a lot. But once the bow touched the strings, his playing was effortless, fluid and gorgeous.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That guy had never been kissed. That guy had never been on a date, absolutely hated himself. Probably [weighed] around 315 pounds,” Gupta said, reflecting on the performance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And that guy was using the violin, that effortlessness, as a way of hiding in plain sight. If I was infallible, bulletproof, then people might forgive the fact that I was actually Quasimodo.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2018, after winning a six-figure MacArthur Genius Grant, Gupta left the L.A. Phil. He threw himself into his work with Street Symphony and pursued solo and chamber work, collaborating widely with other artists on a range of projects. He’s currently developing a one-man show combining performance, documentary film and storytelling based in part on his new memoir.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the way back to his home in Altadena from Skid Row, Gupta talked more about his parents. Though his dad is gone and he’s estranged from his mom, he still sees them in other people. Since seeking therapy, dealing with addiction and even taking up boxing, the bad memories don’t haunt or hurt as much. But they still resurface.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I write about it in the book that my mom ambushed me backstage at Walt Disney Concert Hall,” Gupta said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“She was there just to berate me in front of my colleagues. Sometimes I would walk into Skid Row and be like, ‘Oh, is that her, is that mom?’ I would just see her everywhere in Skid Row.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Gupta, the area is a crucible, calling it the largest recovery zone for people teetering on the edge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is a place where people are undone, and it’s also a place where people are remade,” he said. “If someone wants to get clean, or they want a bed or want to start over, this is a place where people can begin again.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "In his memoir ‘Restrung,’ the Los Angeles-based performer recounts family trauma, addiction and recovery, and how his work with the unhoused transformed his life. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1783698602,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": true,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 35,
"wordCount": 1674
},
"headData": {
"title": "What Skid Row Taught Acclaimed Violinist Vijay Gupta About Music | KQED",
"description": "In his memoir ‘Restrung,’ the Los Angeles-based performer recounts family trauma, addiction and recovery, and how his work with the unhoused transformed his life. ",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "What Skid Row Taught Acclaimed Violinist Vijay Gupta About Music",
"datePublished": "2026-07-10T07:00:18-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-07-10T08:50:02-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 31795,
"slug": "california",
"name": "California"
},
"source": "The California Report Magazine",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/californiareportmagazine",
"audioUrl": "https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/0af137ef-751e-4b19-a055-aaef00d2d578/ffca7e9f-6831-41c5-bcaf-aaef00f5a073/7de0e9a0-2429-471b-82d0-b482013b833b/audio.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-12090227",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/news/12090227/what-skid-row-taught-acclaimed-violinist-vijay-gupta-about-music",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Acclaimed \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/los-angeles\">violinist Vijay Gupta\u003c/a> still sees his late father everywhere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He’d appear unexpectedly, like when a concert hall conductor pointed to his chest to coax more heart out of a musician, something that Gupta’s dad would do when coaching the young Vijay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And it was like, there’s dad,” Gupta said. “And he’d already been gone for a couple years, and yet there he was like he had never gone. He had never abandoned me. He had never died.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gupta’s parents, Bengali immigrants, loom large in the pages of his new memoir \u003cem>Restrung\u003c/em>. Especially his father, Vivek Gupta — Vijay’s biggest mentor, his toughest musical coach and a brutal disciplinarian.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If Vivek heard his son pause when he should have been practicing, Vijay risked another beating. The violin became as much a shield against the blows as it was an instrument of music, and a refuge for Vijay. But his dad also came up with creative schemes to push young Vijay into the spotlight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When I was 7 or 8 years old, he was writing to famous people as me,” Gupta said. “He would write to Oprah, David Letterman, Sally Jessy Raphael and Zubin Mehta, and it was sort of like I was living in a world made of his dreams.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When he was 9 years old, Gupta was among a group of young, Juilliard-trained violin protégées invited to accompany rapper Coolio onstage at the 1995 Billboard Awards. The quintet of violinists accompanied the rapper on “Gangsta’s Paradise,” a song featuring lyrics that would foreshadow Gupta’s life in his mid-20s.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/BRveeMoCDiw'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/BRveeMoCDiw'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>“I’m 23 now, but will I see 24? / The way things are goin’, I don’t know / Tell me why we are so blind to see, that the ones we hurt are you and me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ten years later, at age 19, after pursuing two university undergrad degrees — one in medicine, the other in music — Gupta won a seat on the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra. He did so after acing his very first audition, becoming the youngest violinist to ever join a major orchestra in the United States.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I didn’t know what I signed up for at 19 years old. I just happened to get that gig,” Gupta said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Suddenly, he was earning a six-figure salary but still didn’t know how to drive a car or do online banking. His father joined him on his cross-country trek from New York to Los Angeles, the two moving into a small apartment together. His mother managed his finances from New York, explaining to her son that his salary would also help support family in the U.S. and the Indian state of West Bengal. It’s a decision that would later lead to financial calamity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12090270\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12090270 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-9-photo-by-Kate-Bawden.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-9-photo-by-Kate-Bawden.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-9-photo-by-Kate-Bawden-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/VIJAY-GUPTA-9-photo-by-Kate-Bawden-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Master violinist Vijay Gupta entered Juilliard at age 7. The son of strict, disciplinarian Bengali immigrant parents, Vijay appeared on Oprah a few years later. At 19, he joined the L.A. Phil, yet he was desperately unhappy. He also began volunteering on L.A.’s Skid Row and founded the acclaimed Street Symphony. \u003ccite>(Image courtesy of Kat Bawden)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I was suddenly supporting my family, and I got tenure, and I don’t want to be there,” Gupta said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So, five years later, I’m eating my feelings and all I’m thinking about during L.A. Phil concerts is my post-concert In-N-Out order, and how many bottles of Russian River pinot I’m going to drink that night,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Five years into his stint with the L.A. Phil and deeply unhappy, Gupta began pursuing a second musical path. He said he wanted to take professional-level classical music out of “stuffy” concert halls and bring it into much different concert settings: jails, homeless shelters, prisons.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He headed to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/skid-row\">Skid Row\u003c/a>, a part of downtown Los Angeles he discovered while on a driving lesson with his father. Just a little over a mile away from the footlights of Walt Disney Concert Hall, Skid Row is home to the largest concentration of homeless people in the United States. Gupta tapped a few other L.A. Phil musicians to form the \u003ca href=\"https://www.streetsymphony.org/\">Street Symphony\u003c/a>. The nonprofit ensemble has since evolved into a sprawling collective of professional and amateur musicians spanning a host of genres.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_12088748",
"hero": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260618-PASADENA-ROCK-OPERA-SC01-KQED.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>One of the first people Gupta reached out to was Georgia Hawley, communications director at \u003ca href=\"https://www.midnightmission.org/events-musicwithamission/\">The Midnight Mission\u003c/a>, Los Angeles’s longest-running homeless shelter offering meals, drug rehabilitation and other services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He called and said, ‘Hey, I have this group called Street Symphony, and I want to come and play. Do I need to audition? Should I send you a tape? What do you need?’” Hawley said. “And I said, ‘Well, our next opening is Thursday … are you available?’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the time, Hawley had just launched the Music with a Mission program, offering free, weekly concerts for shelter clients. She has since worked closely with Gupta on hundreds of music events in Skid Row.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You know, he fought a lot with being this young person who was in this adult world and having to behave a certain way and act a certain way, and he was supporting his family,” Hawley said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think just not having an outlet to talk to people about that and to say, ‘I’m hurt, I’m scared.’ And I think the more he tried to help others, the more he couldn’t ignore what was happening to him.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Skid Row would end up becoming something of a mirror, a pathway for Gupta to finally reconcile his own demons.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/5zGAgEBl3ws'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/5zGAgEBl3ws'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>“The real transformation started happening for me in Skid Row was when people said, ‘Hey Vijay, it’s good that you’re coming here to walk your steps, keep coming.’ What are you talking about? I’m here to bring you joy, I’m the healer! And they’re like, ‘Yeah, yeah. Keep coming,’” Gupta said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Walk your steps,” meaning the guiding principles of the 12-Step program used in rehab. People in Skid Row wanted to show Gupta something they could see, but that he couldn’t — or wouldn’t — see himself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I would not have admitted to anyone that I was as much an addict, not only to food and alcohol, but everybody else’s version of who I should be,” Gupta said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the meantime, Gupta kept up a frenetic performing schedule. In addition to his role at L.A. Phil, he began doing public speaking events where he’d take his violin and lecture about classical music and its connection to neuroscience, social activism and spirituality.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12090268\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 1428px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12090268\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/2.-VIJAY-GUPTA-2025-photo-Kate-Bawden.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1428\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/2.-VIJAY-GUPTA-2025-photo-Kate-Bawden.jpg 1428w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/2.-VIJAY-GUPTA-2025-photo-Kate-Bawden-160x224.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/2.-VIJAY-GUPTA-2025-photo-Kate-Bawden-1097x1536.jpg 1097w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1428px) 100vw, 1428px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Master violinist Vijay Gupta entered Juilliard at age 7. The son of strict, disciplinarian Bengali immigrant parents, Vijay appeared on Oprah a few years later. At 19, he joined the L.A. Phil, yet he was desperately unhappy. He also began volunteering on L.A.’s Skid Row, and founded the acclaimed Street Symphony. \u003ccite>(Image courtesy of Kat Bawden)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>At a 2012 Grantmakers in the Arts conference in Miami, Gupta appeared on stage in a rumpled suit, his shirttails sticking out beneath his navy-blue blazer. He was much heavier then and still drinking a lot. But once the bow touched the strings, his playing was effortless, fluid and gorgeous.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That guy had never been kissed. That guy had never been on a date, absolutely hated himself. Probably [weighed] around 315 pounds,” Gupta said, reflecting on the performance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And that guy was using the violin, that effortlessness, as a way of hiding in plain sight. If I was infallible, bulletproof, then people might forgive the fact that I was actually Quasimodo.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2018, after winning a six-figure MacArthur Genius Grant, Gupta left the L.A. Phil. He threw himself into his work with Street Symphony and pursued solo and chamber work, collaborating widely with other artists on a range of projects. He’s currently developing a one-man show combining performance, documentary film and storytelling based in part on his new memoir.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On the way back to his home in Altadena from Skid Row, Gupta talked more about his parents. Though his dad is gone and he’s estranged from his mom, he still sees them in other people. Since seeking therapy, dealing with addiction and even taking up boxing, the bad memories don’t haunt or hurt as much. But they still resurface.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I write about it in the book that my mom ambushed me backstage at Walt Disney Concert Hall,” Gupta said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“She was there just to berate me in front of my colleagues. Sometimes I would walk into Skid Row and be like, ‘Oh, is that her, is that mom?’ I would just see her everywhere in Skid Row.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Gupta, the area is a crucible, calling it the largest recovery zone for people teetering on the edge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is a place where people are undone, and it’s also a place where people are remade,” he said. “If someone wants to get clean, or they want a bed or want to start over, this is a place where people can begin again.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/12090227/what-skid-row-taught-acclaimed-violinist-vijay-gupta-about-music",
"authors": [
"2600"
],
"programs": [
"news_26731"
],
"categories": [
"news_29992",
"news_223",
"news_31795",
"news_8",
"news_33520"
],
"tags": [
"news_18538",
"news_28519",
"news_27626",
"news_4",
"news_1425",
"news_34560",
"news_17954",
"news_30162"
],
"featImg": "news_12090269",
"label": "source_news_12090227"
},
"news_11902904": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_11902904",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11902904",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1643464835000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "underpaid-and-burned-out-many-outreach-workers-for-unhoused-californians-are-leaving-their-jobs",
"title": "Underpaid and Burned Out: Many Outreach Workers for Unhoused Californians Are Leaving Their Jobs",
"publishDate": 1643464835,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Underpaid and Burned Out: Many Outreach Workers for Unhoused Californians Are Leaving Their Jobs | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"term": 18481,
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/calmatters-en-espanol/2022/01/la-escasez-de-trabajadores-sociales-podria-bloquear-la-estrategia-para-indigentes-en-california/\">\u003cem>Leer en español.\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the middle of March last year,\u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/homeless-housing/story/2021-03-13/echo-park-encampment-exposes-bigger-la-homeless-issues\"> Los Angeles officials were gearing up to clear an encampment of 200 unhoused persons\u003c/a> at Echo Park Lake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Denise Velazquez, 53, then an outreach worker with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, her task was clear: Get 10 people indoors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She helped her clients — who were cold, tired and desperate to shower — pack their bags and sign intake forms. She gave them hope that warmth was around the corner: hotel rooms under \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/california-divide/2022/01/california-homeless-permanent-supportive-housing/\">Project Roomkey, the state’s program to shelter unhoused people most at risk of catching COVID-19\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But orders changed overnight. Her agency had access to only three beds, and when she told her clients, they yelled, spit and lunged at her partner. Velazquez says she broke their trust — and that broke her heart.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My stomach is feeling so uncomfortable and heart broken,” Velazquez wrote in an email to her supervisor on March 18, 2021.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>LAHSA spokesperson Ahmad Chapman said various local service providers placed 176 of those at the Echo Park encampment in interim housing programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the weeks that followed, Velazquez said her health deteriorated. Her blood pressure spiked, her diabetes worsened, and her anxiety and depression spiraled. Her employer granted her a medical leave of absence, but therapy revealed that the only way to heal, she said, was to quit. Abandoning her clients broke her heart all over again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11903130\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11903130\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN03.jpg\" alt=\"Two hands hold up a pair of boots. The boots are very worn out and stained with dirt and water.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"799\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN03.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN03-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN03-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN03-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Denise Velazquez holds the boots she got when she started working in homelessness outreach. \u003ccite>(Raquel Natalicchio/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Turnover has long plagued the homeless services field. COVID-19 has only made the problem worse as \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/series/california-workers-covid/\">the omicron surge causes worker shortages across California’s economy\u003c/a>. And without enough service workers, the state’s ambitious, multibillion-dollar strategy for reducing homelessness is unlikely to work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most people who enter social work know to expect small paychecks; they’re driven by compassion and a desire for positive change. But caring too much can be crushing when \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/homeless/2021/11/california-homeless-camps-clearing-plan/\">housing is elusive\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/projects/mentally-ill-forced-treatment-conservatorship-california-debate/\">mental health services scant\u003c/a>, and communication splintered among the myriad entities who decide the fate of the unhoused.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re paying these folks pennies on the dollar to burn themselves out completely,” said Tami McVay, assistant program director at \u003ca href=\"https://www.selfhelpenterprises.org/\">Self-Help Enterprises\u003c/a>, which serves lower-income communities in the San Joaquin Valley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=\"news_11901253\" hero=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/09/021_SanFrancisco_NewsomRecallEvent_09142021-1020x680.jpg\"]When you bring up staff turnover or vacancies with any provider or advocate, they nod vigorously. The mostly government-contracted private organizations serving people experiencing homelessness have waged an uphill battle to recruit and retain workers into their fast-growing workforce, including some formerly homeless individuals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>LA-based \u003ca href=\"https://epath.org/\">People Assisting the Homeless\u003c/a>, or PATH, which serves about a fifth of the state’s unhoused population, has hired seven recruiters to help fill 340 vacancies, out of 1,100 jobs, said CEO Jennifer Hark Dietz. It’s now taking an average of four months to fill any given spot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And that’s before the latest homelessness budget, approved last summer by Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/explainers/californias-homelessness-crisis-explained/#a5795160-28e3-11ea-963d-8304ae9d247c\">floods providers with $12 billion over the next two years\u003c/a>. The state says the funding will require thousands of new positions in the homeless response system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have all this money,” said Farrah McDaid Ting, a senior legislative representative with the California State Association of Counties. “Can we really do this if we don’t have the people? I think there could be a real limitation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11903126\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11903126\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN05.jpg\" alt=\"Mel Tillekeratne stands against one of the walls of a Shower of Hope facility.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"799\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN05.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN05-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN05-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN05-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mel Tillekeratne, executive director of The Shower of Hope. \u003ccite>(Raquel Natalicchio/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch3>Good jobs wanted\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>At the root of the worker shortage — which advocates say is really a shortage of good jobs — is low wages. Most homeless services organizations CalMatters spoke with pay starting frontline workers between $16 and $18 an hour, barely higher than minimum wage. They openly admit it’s far too little for the grueling labor, and often isn’t enough to live in expensive California cities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In the homeless services sector, it’s like: You didn’t get this paperwork in on time, I lost my housing, or my legs are hurting, I think I might have a blood clot,” said Mel Tillekeratne, executive director of \u003ca href=\"http://theshowerofhope.org/\">The Shower of Hope, which runs 22 mobile shower sites across Los Angeles County\u003c/a>. “It’s an unbelievably high amount of stress. I’ve seen so many outreach workers completely checked out.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, people employed in emergency and other relief services — including homeless service providers — \u003ca href=\"https://data.bls.gov/PDQWeb/en\">made an average annual salary of $49,616 in 2020\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote align=\"right\" size=\"medium\" citation=\"Earl Edwards, doctoral candidate at UCLA\"]‘A lot of individuals didn’t see a pathway for them to stay doing this work.’[/pullquote]Why not pay more? Tillekeratne says government contracts usually cap personnel costs. He had to raise money privately, for example, to offer hazard pay at the start of the pandemic. Federal and state grants usually come in bursts and have short timelines, forcing organizations to fill temporary positions before they expire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If they don’t leave homeless services completely, workers will switch jobs for $1 or $2 more an hour. Or, if they get promoted, they often lose direct contact with clients, adding to a sense that frontline work is undervalued, said Earl Edwards, a doctoral candidate at the University of California, Los Angeles \u003ca href=\"https://www.capolicylab.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Inequity-in-the-PSH-System-in-Los-Angeles.pdf\">who interviewed 11 case managers\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A lot of individuals didn’t see a pathway for them to stay doing this work,” Edwards said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most organizations that serve unhoused individuals often hire people who are just exiting homelessness themselves: “That also adds an additional level of trauma,” he said. Shelter workers in Fresno constantly reach out about “unstable living arrangements of their own, asking for housing,” said Katie Wilbur, executive director of \u003ca href=\"https://www.rhcommunitybuilders.com/\">RH Community Builders\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11903133\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11903133\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/012622-Homeless-Services-RN-CM-11.jpg\" alt=\"A person receives a haircut outdoors. The barber touches the hair of the person receiving the haircut.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/012622-Homeless-Services-RN-CM-11.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/012622-Homeless-Services-RN-CM-11-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/012622-Homeless-Services-RN-CM-11-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/012622-Homeless-Services-RN-CM-11-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/012622-Homeless-Services-RN-CM-11-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/012622-Homeless-Services-RN-CM-11-1920x1278.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A volunteer barber cuts an unhoused person’s hair at Trinity Church in Riverside. Those who are unhoused come once a week to the church where they are offered haircuts, clothes, food and a shower. \u003ccite>(Raquel Natalicchio/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The fewer employees with master’s degrees in social work often earn higher salaries, but even those aren’t high enough to keep them from more lucrative jobs, explains \u003ca href=\"https://www.apu.edu/bas/faculty/dgallup/\">Donna Gallup\u003c/a>, an assistant professor at Azusa Pacific’s Department of Social Work, who runs a pilot program to recruit more students into the homeless services field.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you have an opportunity as a graduate student, with student debt, you may select a school, a hospital or another nonprofit where you are not having to work with a stigmatized population that is very demanding, and the work conditions, especially with COVID,” Gallup said. “It has been a challenge.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=\"news_11877585\" hero=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/06/RS49286_002_LakeCounty_ProjectHomekey_05142021-qut-1020x680.jpg\"]Newsom’s \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2022/01/california-budget-newsom/\">proposed 2022 budget, which still has to be negotiated with the Legislature\u003c/a>, includes $1.7 billion over three years to expand the state’s health and human services workforce “with improved diversity, wages and health equity outcomes,” said Rodger Butler, a spokesperson for the \u003ca href=\"https://www.chhs.ca.gov/\">California Health and Human Services Agency\u003c/a>. But even that may not be enough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Until … funding is commensurate to offer living wages across positions in the sector, it’ll be hard to train our way out of this crisis,” said Mari Castaldi, senior legislative advocate on homelessness at \u003ca href=\"https://www.housingca.org/\">Housing California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To increase the wages of the lowest-paid workers, the nonprofit is calling for a supplemental appropriation — \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/explainers/californias-homelessness-crisis-explained/#a5795160-28e3-11ea-963d-8304ae9d247c\">on top of $2 billion over two years in flexible spending in last year’s budget\u003c/a> that cities and counties will use to pay nonprofit partners to run most of these homelessness programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We don’t think it makes sense to say to service providers, ‘You get to choose between serving the number of clients that you set forth to serve, or increasing wages,’” Castaldi said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11903124\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN12.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"799\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN12.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN12-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN12-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN12-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cstrong>Underpaid and burned out\u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>But pay is only one part of the problem, says Deborah Son, executive director of the National Association of Social Workers’ California chapter. She represents 9,000 of the state’s roughly 75,000 certified social workers — and says all of them are affected by\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/explainers/housing-costs-high-california/\"> the severe shortage of affordable housing in California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We can bulk up the workforce and get people jobs and create jobs,” she said, “but if we don’t create the housing structures that are necessary, and we’re talking about the intricate systems necessary, your efforts become moot.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Following her stint at LAHSA, Velazquez found a new job at homeless services nonprofit \u003ca href=\"https://unionstationhs.org/\">Union Station Homeless Services\u003c/a> as a care coordinator, earning $24 an hour. Half of her 20 clients are in housing, and her job is to keep them there. Her other clients are trying — unsuccessfully since September — \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/california-divide/2019/08/section-8-voucher-discrimination-california-housing-crisis/\">to get into a place using housing vouchers, which cover two-thirds of the rent\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=\"news_11870625\" hero=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/04/RS43040_011_KQED_SanFrancisco_TentEncampments_05052020-qut-1020x680.jpg\"]“There’s not enough apartments, and landlords don’t want them,” she said. “Legally [landlords] can’t say, ‘No, I’m not going to take a voucher.’ But they can say, ‘Oh, but your client has to have 650 credit score, and no evictions, and no criminal record.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is where the burnout comes,” she added. “It’s like, a case manager can do and do and do and we still feel we’re not doing it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In her new job, Velazquez said she feels heard when she brings up concerns. She gets a day off every two weeks to unwind, checks in with her supervisor regularly and participates in training and meditation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her own self-care is essential, too, she explains, holding up an angel aura quartz around her neck, which she uses to steel herself for difficult encounters. “This is like my sanctuary, away from everything,” she said, gesturing around her two-bedroom in Monterey Park. “When I sit in that chair, I feel like I’m getting a hug from my grandpa.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11903128\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN11.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"804\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN11.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN11-800x536.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN11-1020x683.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN11-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cstrong>The impact on clients\u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Clients feel the brunt of turnover just as acutely.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A recent study found that in the last decade, \u003ca href=\"https://www.capolicylab.org/inequity-in-the-psh-system-in-los-angeles/\">more than a fifth of the 16,026 people in Los Angeles placed in permanent supportive housing\u003c/a> — which pairs rental assistance with case management, substance use programs and mental health treatment — plunged back into homelessness. Black tenants were the most likely to return to the streets or a shelter, and they cited high case-manager turnover as one of several factors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When you have a case manager who is trying to help you create long-term goals, but they’re only staying for three to six months, it prevents you from actually being able to follow through,” said Edwards of UCLA, a co-author of the study.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside label ='Related Coverage' tag='housing']Some tenants he spoke with were already on their sixth or seventh case manager while in permanent housing. In turn, some clients didn’t bother to learn their case manager’s names for a couple of months, making their jobs that much harder.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Once you have one you can actually work with, next thing you know, you get a notice on your door, ‘Oh, well, hi, this will be my last week.’ And you’re like, ‘Damn. You just got here,’” said Theresa Winkler, who lives with her husband in permanent supportive housing in downtown LA’s Skid Row neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Winkler, 58, said she has been living in permanent supportive housing for about a decade and was unhoused for about half her life before that. She said she has been clean from crack, heroin and alcohol for 15 years, and continues to seek help for post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression. But cycling through caseworker after caseworker — at least three in the last two years — is “straight frustrating.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11903122\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11903122\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN09.jpg\" alt=\"A wide shot of a multi-story residential structure.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"799\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN09.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN09-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN09-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN09-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Residences in the Skid Row Housing Trust in Skid Row in Los Angeles. \u003ccite>(Raquel Natalicchio/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“With addiction, a relapse happens weeks before you pick up,” she explained. “If you know yourself and you see it coming, you’re able to go downstairs, talk to your caseworker, and tell her, ‘Hey, look, can I talk to you for a few minutes?’ But if you don’t have anybody you can trust to go in and talk to — because that’s the biggest word right there, trust — then hey, I’m back out there doing what I was doing in the beginning.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her husband, her doctors and her 12-step recovery program have helped her stay on track and find solace. So has reflecting on her progress.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s nice for me to finally say, ‘You know what? I finally found peace,’” she said. “Because it’s hard to find peace. Look at where I’m at. I’m in the pits of hell.”\u003cbr>\n[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Burnout and COVID are causing service workers for unhoused Californians to leave. Low pay makes it difficult to recruit new workers — but they're essential to the state's plans to reduce homelessness.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1740530034,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 47,
"wordCount": 2285
},
"headData": {
"title": "Underpaid and Burned Out: Many Outreach Workers for Unhoused Californians Are Leaving Their Jobs | KQED",
"description": "Burnout and COVID are causing service workers for unhoused Californians to leave. Low pay makes it difficult to recruit new workers — but they're essential to the state's plans to reduce homelessness.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Underpaid and Burned Out: Many Outreach Workers for Unhoused Californians Are Leaving Their Jobs",
"datePublished": "2022-01-29T06:00:35-08:00",
"dateModified": "2025-02-25T16:33:54-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/author/manuela-tobias/\">Manuela Tobias\u003c/a>",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"path": "/news/11902904/underpaid-and-burned-out-many-outreach-workers-for-unhoused-californians-are-leaving-their-jobs",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/calmatters-en-espanol/2022/01/la-escasez-de-trabajadores-sociales-podria-bloquear-la-estrategia-para-indigentes-en-california/\">\u003cem>Leer en español.\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the middle of March last year,\u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/homeless-housing/story/2021-03-13/echo-park-encampment-exposes-bigger-la-homeless-issues\"> Los Angeles officials were gearing up to clear an encampment of 200 unhoused persons\u003c/a> at Echo Park Lake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Denise Velazquez, 53, then an outreach worker with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, her task was clear: Get 10 people indoors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She helped her clients — who were cold, tired and desperate to shower — pack their bags and sign intake forms. She gave them hope that warmth was around the corner: hotel rooms under \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/california-divide/2022/01/california-homeless-permanent-supportive-housing/\">Project Roomkey, the state’s program to shelter unhoused people most at risk of catching COVID-19\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But orders changed overnight. Her agency had access to only three beds, and when she told her clients, they yelled, spit and lunged at her partner. Velazquez says she broke their trust — and that broke her heart.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My stomach is feeling so uncomfortable and heart broken,” Velazquez wrote in an email to her supervisor on March 18, 2021.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>LAHSA spokesperson Ahmad Chapman said various local service providers placed 176 of those at the Echo Park encampment in interim housing programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the weeks that followed, Velazquez said her health deteriorated. Her blood pressure spiked, her diabetes worsened, and her anxiety and depression spiraled. Her employer granted her a medical leave of absence, but therapy revealed that the only way to heal, she said, was to quit. Abandoning her clients broke her heart all over again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11903130\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11903130\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN03.jpg\" alt=\"Two hands hold up a pair of boots. The boots are very worn out and stained with dirt and water.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"799\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN03.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN03-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN03-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN03-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Denise Velazquez holds the boots she got when she started working in homelessness outreach. \u003ccite>(Raquel Natalicchio/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Turnover has long plagued the homeless services field. COVID-19 has only made the problem worse as \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/series/california-workers-covid/\">the omicron surge causes worker shortages across California’s economy\u003c/a>. And without enough service workers, the state’s ambitious, multibillion-dollar strategy for reducing homelessness is unlikely to work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most people who enter social work know to expect small paychecks; they’re driven by compassion and a desire for positive change. But caring too much can be crushing when \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/housing/homeless/2021/11/california-homeless-camps-clearing-plan/\">housing is elusive\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/projects/mentally-ill-forced-treatment-conservatorship-california-debate/\">mental health services scant\u003c/a>, and communication splintered among the myriad entities who decide the fate of the unhoused.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re paying these folks pennies on the dollar to burn themselves out completely,” said Tami McVay, assistant program director at \u003ca href=\"https://www.selfhelpenterprises.org/\">Self-Help Enterprises\u003c/a>, which serves lower-income communities in the San Joaquin Valley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_11901253",
"hero": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/09/021_SanFrancisco_NewsomRecallEvent_09142021-1020x680.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>When you bring up staff turnover or vacancies with any provider or advocate, they nod vigorously. The mostly government-contracted private organizations serving people experiencing homelessness have waged an uphill battle to recruit and retain workers into their fast-growing workforce, including some formerly homeless individuals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>LA-based \u003ca href=\"https://epath.org/\">People Assisting the Homeless\u003c/a>, or PATH, which serves about a fifth of the state’s unhoused population, has hired seven recruiters to help fill 340 vacancies, out of 1,100 jobs, said CEO Jennifer Hark Dietz. It’s now taking an average of four months to fill any given spot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And that’s before the latest homelessness budget, approved last summer by Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature, \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/explainers/californias-homelessness-crisis-explained/#a5795160-28e3-11ea-963d-8304ae9d247c\">floods providers with $12 billion over the next two years\u003c/a>. The state says the funding will require thousands of new positions in the homeless response system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have all this money,” said Farrah McDaid Ting, a senior legislative representative with the California State Association of Counties. “Can we really do this if we don’t have the people? I think there could be a real limitation.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11903126\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11903126\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN05.jpg\" alt=\"Mel Tillekeratne stands against one of the walls of a Shower of Hope facility.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"799\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN05.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN05-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN05-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN05-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mel Tillekeratne, executive director of The Shower of Hope. \u003ccite>(Raquel Natalicchio/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch3>Good jobs wanted\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>At the root of the worker shortage — which advocates say is really a shortage of good jobs — is low wages. Most homeless services organizations CalMatters spoke with pay starting frontline workers between $16 and $18 an hour, barely higher than minimum wage. They openly admit it’s far too little for the grueling labor, and often isn’t enough to live in expensive California cities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In the homeless services sector, it’s like: You didn’t get this paperwork in on time, I lost my housing, or my legs are hurting, I think I might have a blood clot,” said Mel Tillekeratne, executive director of \u003ca href=\"http://theshowerofhope.org/\">The Shower of Hope, which runs 22 mobile shower sites across Los Angeles County\u003c/a>. “It’s an unbelievably high amount of stress. I’ve seen so many outreach workers completely checked out.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, people employed in emergency and other relief services — including homeless service providers — \u003ca href=\"https://data.bls.gov/PDQWeb/en\">made an average annual salary of $49,616 in 2020\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘A lot of individuals didn’t see a pathway for them to stay doing this work.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"align": "right",
"size": "medium",
"citation": "Earl Edwards, doctoral candidate at UCLA",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Why not pay more? Tillekeratne says government contracts usually cap personnel costs. He had to raise money privately, for example, to offer hazard pay at the start of the pandemic. Federal and state grants usually come in bursts and have short timelines, forcing organizations to fill temporary positions before they expire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If they don’t leave homeless services completely, workers will switch jobs for $1 or $2 more an hour. Or, if they get promoted, they often lose direct contact with clients, adding to a sense that frontline work is undervalued, said Earl Edwards, a doctoral candidate at the University of California, Los Angeles \u003ca href=\"https://www.capolicylab.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Inequity-in-the-PSH-System-in-Los-Angeles.pdf\">who interviewed 11 case managers\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A lot of individuals didn’t see a pathway for them to stay doing this work,” Edwards said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most organizations that serve unhoused individuals often hire people who are just exiting homelessness themselves: “That also adds an additional level of trauma,” he said. Shelter workers in Fresno constantly reach out about “unstable living arrangements of their own, asking for housing,” said Katie Wilbur, executive director of \u003ca href=\"https://www.rhcommunitybuilders.com/\">RH Community Builders\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11903133\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11903133\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/012622-Homeless-Services-RN-CM-11.jpg\" alt=\"A person receives a haircut outdoors. The barber touches the hair of the person receiving the haircut.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/012622-Homeless-Services-RN-CM-11.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/012622-Homeless-Services-RN-CM-11-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/012622-Homeless-Services-RN-CM-11-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/012622-Homeless-Services-RN-CM-11-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/012622-Homeless-Services-RN-CM-11-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/012622-Homeless-Services-RN-CM-11-1920x1278.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A volunteer barber cuts an unhoused person’s hair at Trinity Church in Riverside. Those who are unhoused come once a week to the church where they are offered haircuts, clothes, food and a shower. \u003ccite>(Raquel Natalicchio/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The fewer employees with master’s degrees in social work often earn higher salaries, but even those aren’t high enough to keep them from more lucrative jobs, explains \u003ca href=\"https://www.apu.edu/bas/faculty/dgallup/\">Donna Gallup\u003c/a>, an assistant professor at Azusa Pacific’s Department of Social Work, who runs a pilot program to recruit more students into the homeless services field.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you have an opportunity as a graduate student, with student debt, you may select a school, a hospital or another nonprofit where you are not having to work with a stigmatized population that is very demanding, and the work conditions, especially with COVID,” Gallup said. “It has been a challenge.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_11877585",
"hero": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/06/RS49286_002_LakeCounty_ProjectHomekey_05142021-qut-1020x680.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Newsom’s \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/politics/2022/01/california-budget-newsom/\">proposed 2022 budget, which still has to be negotiated with the Legislature\u003c/a>, includes $1.7 billion over three years to expand the state’s health and human services workforce “with improved diversity, wages and health equity outcomes,” said Rodger Butler, a spokesperson for the \u003ca href=\"https://www.chhs.ca.gov/\">California Health and Human Services Agency\u003c/a>. But even that may not be enough.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Until … funding is commensurate to offer living wages across positions in the sector, it’ll be hard to train our way out of this crisis,” said Mari Castaldi, senior legislative advocate on homelessness at \u003ca href=\"https://www.housingca.org/\">Housing California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To increase the wages of the lowest-paid workers, the nonprofit is calling for a supplemental appropriation — \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/explainers/californias-homelessness-crisis-explained/#a5795160-28e3-11ea-963d-8304ae9d247c\">on top of $2 billion over two years in flexible spending in last year’s budget\u003c/a> that cities and counties will use to pay nonprofit partners to run most of these homelessness programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We don’t think it makes sense to say to service providers, ‘You get to choose between serving the number of clients that you set forth to serve, or increasing wages,’” Castaldi said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11903124\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN12.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"799\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN12.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN12-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN12-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN12-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cstrong>Underpaid and burned out\u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>But pay is only one part of the problem, says Deborah Son, executive director of the National Association of Social Workers’ California chapter. She represents 9,000 of the state’s roughly 75,000 certified social workers — and says all of them are affected by\u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/explainers/housing-costs-high-california/\"> the severe shortage of affordable housing in California\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We can bulk up the workforce and get people jobs and create jobs,” she said, “but if we don’t create the housing structures that are necessary, and we’re talking about the intricate systems necessary, your efforts become moot.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Following her stint at LAHSA, Velazquez found a new job at homeless services nonprofit \u003ca href=\"https://unionstationhs.org/\">Union Station Homeless Services\u003c/a> as a care coordinator, earning $24 an hour. Half of her 20 clients are in housing, and her job is to keep them there. Her other clients are trying — unsuccessfully since September — \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/california-divide/2019/08/section-8-voucher-discrimination-california-housing-crisis/\">to get into a place using housing vouchers, which cover two-thirds of the rent\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"postid": "news_11870625",
"hero": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2021/04/RS43040_011_KQED_SanFrancisco_TentEncampments_05052020-qut-1020x680.jpg",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“There’s not enough apartments, and landlords don’t want them,” she said. “Legally [landlords] can’t say, ‘No, I’m not going to take a voucher.’ But they can say, ‘Oh, but your client has to have 650 credit score, and no evictions, and no criminal record.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is where the burnout comes,” she added. “It’s like, a case manager can do and do and do and we still feel we’re not doing it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In her new job, Velazquez said she feels heard when she brings up concerns. She gets a day off every two weeks to unwind, checks in with her supervisor regularly and participates in training and meditation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her own self-care is essential, too, she explains, holding up an angel aura quartz around her neck, which she uses to steel herself for difficult encounters. “This is like my sanctuary, away from everything,” she said, gesturing around her two-bedroom in Monterey Park. “When I sit in that chair, I feel like I’m getting a hug from my grandpa.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11903128\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN11.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"804\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN11.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN11-800x536.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN11-1020x683.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN11-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003cstrong>The impact on clients\u003c/strong>\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Clients feel the brunt of turnover just as acutely.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A recent study found that in the last decade, \u003ca href=\"https://www.capolicylab.org/inequity-in-the-psh-system-in-los-angeles/\">more than a fifth of the 16,026 people in Los Angeles placed in permanent supportive housing\u003c/a> — which pairs rental assistance with case management, substance use programs and mental health treatment — plunged back into homelessness. Black tenants were the most likely to return to the streets or a shelter, and they cited high case-manager turnover as one of several factors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When you have a case manager who is trying to help you create long-term goals, but they’re only staying for three to six months, it prevents you from actually being able to follow through,” said Edwards of UCLA, a co-author of the study.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "Related Coverage ",
"tag": "housing"
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Some tenants he spoke with were already on their sixth or seventh case manager while in permanent housing. In turn, some clients didn’t bother to learn their case manager’s names for a couple of months, making their jobs that much harder.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Once you have one you can actually work with, next thing you know, you get a notice on your door, ‘Oh, well, hi, this will be my last week.’ And you’re like, ‘Damn. You just got here,’” said Theresa Winkler, who lives with her husband in permanent supportive housing in downtown LA’s Skid Row neighborhood.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Winkler, 58, said she has been living in permanent supportive housing for about a decade and was unhoused for about half her life before that. She said she has been clean from crack, heroin and alcohol for 15 years, and continues to seek help for post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression. But cycling through caseworker after caseworker — at least three in the last two years — is “straight frustrating.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11903122\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1200px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11903122\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN09.jpg\" alt=\"A wide shot of a multi-story residential structure.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"799\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN09.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN09-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN09-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/01/01262022-HOMELESS-SERVICES-RN09-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Residences in the Skid Row Housing Trust in Skid Row in Los Angeles. \u003ccite>(Raquel Natalicchio/CalMatters)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“With addiction, a relapse happens weeks before you pick up,” she explained. “If you know yourself and you see it coming, you’re able to go downstairs, talk to your caseworker, and tell her, ‘Hey, look, can I talk to you for a few minutes?’ But if you don’t have anybody you can trust to go in and talk to — because that’s the biggest word right there, trust — then hey, I’m back out there doing what I was doing in the beginning.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her husband, her doctors and her 12-step recovery program have helped her stay on track and find solace. So has reflecting on her progress.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s nice for me to finally say, ‘You know what? I finally found peace,’” she said. “Because it’s hard to find peace. Look at where I’m at. I’m in the pits of hell.”\u003cbr>\n\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/11902904/underpaid-and-burned-out-many-outreach-workers-for-unhoused-californians-are-leaving-their-jobs",
"authors": [
"byline_news_11902904"
],
"categories": [
"news_6266",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_18538",
"news_21214",
"news_4020",
"news_4",
"news_2109",
"news_17954",
"news_29607"
],
"affiliates": [
"news_18481"
],
"featImg": "news_11903132",
"label": "news_18481"
},
"news_11764275": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_11764275",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11764275",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1575066623000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "how-one-womans-search-for-her-homeless-mother-became-a-mission-to-help-others",
"title": "How One Woman's Search for Her Homeless Mother Became a Mission to Help Others",
"publishDate": 1575066623,
"format": "audio",
"headTitle": "How One Woman’s Search for Her Homeless Mother Became a Mission to Help Others | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published on July 31, 2019.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[dropcap]G[/dropcap]rowing up, Robin Burton didn’t really know much about her mother, Cloudia Leslie Wells. “I was never told that my mom was mentally ill. My grandparents raised me, her mom and dad, and my mom would come home for a couple months and she’d be gone for a couple of years, and this was normal to me growing up,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size='medium' align='right' citation='Robin Burton, founder of the Facebook group Missing & Homeless']‘The only thing that I want to say to my mom whenever I find her is, “I love you.” That means more to me than anything else in the world, is just for her to hear those three words: “I love you.”‘[/pullquote]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Burton was an adult by the time she learned her mom had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. That finally answered questions unanswered when her mom was breezing in and out of her life. Like many kids who don’t understand what they’re looking at when they’re looking at severe mental illness, little Robin came up with a story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I thought that she was living the life of the rich and famous, and didn’t have time for me. That was so far from the truth,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That was a sadness she learned to live with early in life. But when Burton was in her 20s, she lost her mom in a new and different way. First, her grandparents died. Then, when her mom swung through town, sometime around Christmas in 1994, and learned about their deaths, she left and didn’t come back. Ever.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was 23 whenever she went missing, and I’m 48 years old now,” Burton said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schizophrenia can be a debilitating disease. There’s no known cure, though medications can help. “We don’t know what it is. We don’t know what causes it. I don’t even know what the meaning of a cure would be,” said \u003ca href=\"https://medicine.yale.edu/psychiatry/people/robert_rosenheck.profile\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Robert Rosenheck\u003c/a>, professor of psychiatry and of health policy at the Yale School of Medicine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11764368\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 720px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11764368\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/FB_IMG_1558461841538.jpg\" alt=\"A rare family photo of young Robin Burton with her mother, Cloudia Leslie Wells.\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/FB_IMG_1558461841538.jpg 720w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/FB_IMG_1558461841538-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/FB_IMG_1558461841538-632x474.jpg 632w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/FB_IMG_1558461841538-536x402.jpg 536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A rare family photo of young Robin Burton with her mother, Cloudia Leslie Wells. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Robin Burton)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Scientists do know schizophrenia affects people of every race, culture and economic class. Common symptoms include delusions, social withdrawal and an inability to cope with strong emotions. “Schizophrenia interferes with all areas of mental life. It makes it hard to think clearly. It makes people fearful, angry sometimes, and sometimes numb,” Rosenheck added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s why you see so many homeless people with schizophrenia. It’s hard for other people to connect with them and stay connected.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the years wore on, Burton hired a private investigator to find Cloudia, though a lot of people told her to let it go. A lot of people tell her that now. But Burton won’t give up on the hope that Cloudia is still alive, and that there might be some benefit to seeing her again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m not here to judge my mom, and I’m not here to ask her any questions on why she didn’t come home, or where she’s been, because she has her own reasons. The only thing that I want to say to my mom whenever I find her is, ‘I love you.’ That means more to me than anything else in the world, is just for her to hear those three words: ‘I love you.’ ”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The question is, how to find her?\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The First Trip to California\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Burton lives in Collinsville, Illinois. “I work at Geico. I’m an insurance agent. I also bartend on the weekends,” at a popular local watering hole called Ardie and Tiny’s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size='medium' align='right' citation='Robin Burton, founder of the Facebook group Missing & Homeless']‘You know, the question that I get asked a lot, and most families do that are looking for their missing loved ones that are living homeless, is maybe they don’t want to be found.’[/pullquote]One evening, almost five years ago, Burton was working at that bar, “and it was a slow night, and I had a phone call from my private investigator, and he had told me that he doesn’t know how he missed it. But my mom’s Social Security number was used at a homeless shelter in 2013.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was a homeless shelter in Santa Monica, California, roughly 2,000 miles from Collinsville.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Burton explained, “I didn’t think a whole lot of it because I’ve been on wild goose chases before. I told a customer, just for small talk, about the phone call conversation. Unbeknownst to me, that customer went home and started Googling the Web. Two days later, he called me on the phone and he said, ‘Robin, I need your email address. There’s something I want you to look at.’ ”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was a 2014 article from the Los Angeles Times, talking about the annual point-in-time count of the local homeless population. There was one photograph up top, of a homeless woman on the street. “I knew immediately that it was her. Because your eyes don’t change.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Burton called up the L.A. Times, and the reporter put Burton in touch with the photographer, who said the photo was taken one year before the article was written.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“January 2013 in Santa Monica, California, the exact same place and area my mom’s Social Security number was used. In the same year. And that was all the confirmation I needed, ’cause I already knew it was her,” Burton said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That tip was 2 years old, but she decided to chase it down anyway. She set up a Go Fund Me page to get help paying for a rental car to get to California, and for a motel room to stay in when she got there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A local \u003ca href=\"https://fox2now.com/2015/02/17/collinsville-woman-heads-to-la-to-find-her-mother-after-spotting-her-in-la-times-picture/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Fox News\u003c/a> outlet broadcast a set-up story the night before Burton left for L.A. By then, Burton had talked with a police officer at the LAPD, who told her Cloudia had been sighted on L.A.’s skid row. Burton told Fox, “I’m not scared of skid row. That’s not my biggest fear. My biggest fear is my mom not wanting to come back with me. Alls I know is I have to find her. I gotta let her know I love her.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Lessons Learned on Skid Row\u003c/h2>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11764385\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11764385 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS27189_GettyImages-691243686-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS27189_GettyImages-691243686-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS27189_GettyImages-691243686-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS27189_GettyImages-691243686-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS27189_GettyImages-691243686-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS27189_GettyImages-691243686-qut-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A woman passes a wheelchair-bound homeless man on Spring Street on May 1, 2017, in Los Angeles. The 2017 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count indicated a dramatic jump of 20 percent in the city of Los Angeles, while Los Angeles County has spiked 23 percent. \u003ccite>(David McNew/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>There has been a skid row in Los Angeles since the late 19th century. There have been attempts to clear out the poverty and crime from this square mile in the heart of downtown since the 1950s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it’s never looked as bad as it does in modern times: a tent city of roughly 4,000 people has sprung up on these sun-baked concrete sidewalks, crawling with rats and bedbugs, reeking with the smell of human urine and feces.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Robin arrived in 2015 carrying a box of candy bars wrapped with her mom’s picture, but she made a critical mistake. She brought along another TV camera crew.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People on the streets were not happy to see that, or her. “The very first day out there was very scary and emotional for me. I broke down crying. I had to leave. I had to leave and I had to go back to my motel and take a deep breath and re-evaluate.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back in the motel room, Burton decided she needed to try again, in a different way. “Without the cameras, everything was so different. and it was actually the homeless that was helping me look for my mom. It was them that was telling me, ‘You know I wish I had somebody looking for me.’ ”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You could imagine Cloudia visiting a place like the \u003ca href=\"https://www.downtownwomenscenter.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Downtown Women’s Center\u003c/a>. Homeless and near-homeless women from all over Southern California come here looking for help for a range of problems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We serve about 4,000 women a year and it’s very fairly infrequent that we see them reunify. It’s really probably only about five a year,” said chief program officer Erika Hartman, who betrays in her voice a certain exhaustion at the very idea of what sounds like a much desired fairy-tale ending.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size='medium' align='right' citation='Robin Burton, founder of the Facebook group Missing & Homeless']‘I was very, very angry at God. How could you send me a picture after 20 years? How could I go out there and not find her? And it wasn’t until I came home and I realized I’m not alone. There are other families just like me.’[/pullquote]“Usually, at the point that they have come to skid row, they have really run out of other connections that they can turn to. Sometimes, it’s because they’ve really exhausted their relationships with people who are trying support them. Or who have set boundaries due to substance use. Lots of women report experiencing shame about homelessness,” Hartman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even with help, three weeks passed with no sign of Cloudia. Some people told Burton they believed Cloudia must be dead. Whatever the case, Burton needed to go back home and get back to work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That spring, Burton started a Facebook group called \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/MissingHomelessOrg/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Missing & Homeless\u003c/a>. The concept is simple: post a person’s story, with enough details and photos, in the hopes somebody in the group will recognize that missing person and help put them in touch with the family looking for them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They’re not a piece of garbage, you know. They’re somebody’s mother. They’re somebody son. They’re somebody’s sister.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11764316\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 742px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11764316\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/1485734303999.jpeg\" alt=\"One of numerous posters Robin Burton has drawn up over the years in the search for her mother, believed to be homeless somewhere in California.\" width=\"742\" height=\"960\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/1485734303999.jpeg 742w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/1485734303999-160x207.jpeg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 742px) 100vw, 742px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">One of numerous posters Robin Burton has drawn up over the years in the search for her mother, believed to be homeless somewhere in California. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Robin Burton)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>An Education in Finding People\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Robin said she functions like a reporter when a family contacts her for help. She presses them for more information. Where, exactly, did the person go missing? Are there any distinguishing characteristics, like eye color or tattoos? Do they suffer from mental illness or addiction?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The details make it easier to find somebody, but they also emotionally engage the Facebook group members. As opposed to say, some generic post about a Jane Doe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I had no idea when I started ‘Missing & Homeless’ what it was going to become, and how many followers and supporters that we were gonna have. Then we started finding people. Four years later, we have probably found 70 or 80 people,” Burton said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It turns out a lot of the group’s 63,000 members are homeless themselves, typically logging into Facebook at public libraries — in part because they don’t have any barriers precluding them from getting involved.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside tag='homelessness' label='More on Homelessness']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Burton has had a number of frustrating conversations with health care providers and social service workers who won’t say boo about someone who friends and family are searching for.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You can walk into a homeless shelter or a soup kitchen and they will not tell you if they’re there. My mom could be in the same building as me and I would never even know it. It’s heartbreaking, whenever you have a family member that is missing and living homeless, the lack of help that you get because of it,” Burton said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s a very big reason why most social workers and health care providers would not tell Robin if her mom was in a particular building. It’s against federal law, specifically, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/laws-regulations/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996\u003c/a>. HIPAA, as most people call it, has a provision that protects the privacy of individuals’ medical records, including the fact of a person’s presence in a facility.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hartman of the Downtown Women’s Center explained staff are happy to take a message and pass it on. But it’s the homeless person’s choice whether to connect. Always. In part, because they can’t presume the best about people who say they’re searching for a loved one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have women who have been trafficked or abused or exploited by family members,” Hartman said. “Many of them don’t list an emergency contact. We have women who pass and we don’t know how to find a next of kin.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In other words, many of these women have good reasons they don’t want to be found. Burton gets that. She’s also seen enough to know some people are just too far gone into the abyss of mental illness, or addiction, or both.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I had a lady that was looking for her son that was schizophrenic, and he was found after, after five or six years, and she didn’t recognize him at first. You know, because the streets weather you. You change drastically. He didn’t recognize her either, and he said, ‘You’re not my mom.’ He’s missing again,” Burton said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So far, we’ve been presuming that the right homeless person has been correctly identified. Sometimes, people eager to help say they’ve seen someone they actually haven’t.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It happened to Burton, just weeks after she returned home from skid row that first time. A volunteer from the Downtown Women’s Center called Burton to say Cloudia was there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Burton bought a plane ticket. She was sitting on that plane ahead of takeoff, when she got another call saying the volunteer was mistaken. The timing was such that Burton flew to L.A. and back: an expensive, useless and emotionally painful trip.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, that wouldn’t stop Burton from recommending families make every effort to file missing person reports, and take all the other recommended steps. Because the wins, when they happen, are so satisfying.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11764346\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11764346\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38248_Corey-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A former workmate of Corey Abernathy's asked his parents for permission to post this on the Facebook group "Missing & Homeless." That's how a housemate of Abernathy's in San Francisco spotted it, and told him, and he called his parents after a radio silence of two years.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1246\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38248_Corey-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38248_Corey-qut-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38248_Corey-qut-800x519.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38248_Corey-qut-1020x662.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38248_Corey-qut-1200x779.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A former workmate of Corey Abernathy asked his parents for permission to post this on the Facebook group “Missing & Homeless.” That’s how a housemate of Abernathy’s in San Francisco spotted it, and told him, and he called his parents after a radio silence of two years. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Corey Abernathy)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>A Win in San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Corey Abernathy, and his parents, Cathy and Robert Abernathy, agreed to meet me on a bright, breezy day at one of his favorite haunts in San Francisco: Crissy Field. When he was homeless, Corey used to camp in the Presidio, not far from where tourists whiz by on their rented bicycles and children eat ice cream while wearing fleece jackets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I just thought too much about life. I felt a lot of pressure,” Corey said. He’s 5-foot-9. About 160 pounds. Hair and beard close-cropped. His blue eyes twinkle in the sun. He looks like he’s gotten a lot of sun in recent years, but nothing that seems out of the ordinary for an athletic white man in his early 30s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Corey was 28 when he decided to throw on a backpack one day and leave his parents’ home in Willits in Mendocino County. With no warning, or explanation — though there were signs when the family looks back on it — that he wasn’t happy. That he was drifting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I just remember that there was like a weird amount of anxiety on me,” Abernathy said. “I always tried to make sense of everything. I put too much pressure on myself that wasn’t really there. Yeah, the way I dealt with it was just drinking a lot.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He’d struggled with anxiety since childhood. He didn’t seem to have a strong idea for a career the way his older brother had. He dropped out of Sacramento State almost as soon as he got there. He lost a job in retail, then switched to a local casino. But there, he was surrounded by alcohol, and the consequences were predictable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Corey started reading about people who dropped out of society for a different kind of life. “So it wasn’t like one single moment. It was something I was thinking about for probably like a year,” he explained.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then Corey got a DUI, something he was really ashamed about. He thought to himself, if he had no money, he wouldn’t be able to buy alcohol. And if he had nothing to worry about, he wouldn’t want to buy alcohol.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He explained, “My car got towed and I just said, ‘I’m done.’ At the time, it was a good feeling. I don’t have to deal with problems I can’t figure out anymore.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But remember, he was living with his parents at the time. And when he walked out that front door, he left no note. No explanation. His mom, Cathy, is a registered nurse. His dad, Robert, is a retired custom cabinetmaker.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His father recalled the day, “Got home and the house was empty. To me, it looked like he’d just walked out the door to go out for a walk. Everything was still in his room. Nothing disturbed. He just disappeared.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They called the police and filed a missing person’s report. Only to discover the police in Mendocino County have a loose attitude about adults who disappear, given the local marijuana growing industry’s reliance on seasonal workers. In this business, pruning is called “trimming,” and many of the trimmers come and go.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In Mendocino County, Sonoma County if a adult is missing, they’re out trimming,” Cathy said. “It was October and it was trimming season. They took the report, but they weren’t doing anything with it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So Robert and Cathy had to start looking on their own. Corey’s friends helped. A former workmate tacking up a poster in Ukiah met a homeless person who directed them to Fort Bragg, where Robert and Cathy found Corey in a park, about six weeks after he disappeared. But Corey wouldn’t come back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I wasn’t ready to see them,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size='medium' align='right' citation='Corey Abernathy, building a new life for himself in San Francisco after more than three years homeless']‘I gave everything up, you know. It was like, I don’t know if I’m ever going to have a room again. I don’t know if I’m ever going to have a relationship again. I distinctively classified myself aside from society.’[/pullquote]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Robert described his thinking in that moment, “As much as I wanted to grab him and throw him in the car, I knew he’d be gone again. So that was the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make was to let him go.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So they did, and Corey kept hitchhiking, to Point Arena, Gualala and finally San Francisco — where he proceeded to bounce from sleeping rough in the Presidio to side streets and shelters, sporadically sending his parents Facebook messages from public libraries. Until he stopped doing that. The last one was in February 2016.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I felt regret and guilt. I knew I was going to have to figure out a way to speak to them, and yeah, apologize,” Corey said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Every now and then, his parents would get a lead and take off to follow it, only to find it mistaken. Often, from somebody overcome with wishful thinking. A lot of guys on the street look like Corey. “OK, he’s here. He’s in Yuba City. He’s in Sacramento. Manteca. Denver. I mean, you name it, he was there,” Robert said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Weeks turned into months, and then years. Corey’s last messages came from San Francisco. So Robert and Cathy drove south repeatedly to scour the city’s Tenderloin on foot. “He could be on the next block over headed in the opposite direction, and we’d never know it. You know, there were days when we walked 25 miles,” Robert said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The night before Corey left his parents’ home in Willits, Cathy started having this recurring dream — nightmare, really.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In it, she keeps getting woken up by her nephew, Bobby, who committed suicide in 2010. It’s like he was a contact from the underworld, trying to tell her something about her son.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He’d wake me up that, ‘We gotta get going.’ I was on the hard ground. I was cold. I wasn’t safe. I had to get moving. You know, we had to get moving,” she recalled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, at some point, the nightmares abruptly stopped. Cathy had two theories about what happened to Corey. “Maybe, you know, he’s getting his life together. Or he wasn’t on this earth anymore. You know, it was one of the two.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As it happened, this was right around the time Corey was ready for rehab. He got involved with \u003ca href=\"https://www.aa.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Alcoholics Anonymous\u003c/a>. He got into a sober living facility.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But he didn’t reconnect with his parents. And two years passed. That’s when, early this year, one of Corey’s old workmates posted on “Missing & Homeless.” And someone Corey lives with recognized him. And told Corey. And Corey called home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[pullquote size='medium' align='right' citation='Robert Abernathy, whose son went missing for more than three years']‘You see the homeless. You hear about people missing family. And that’s supposed to happen to other people. It’s not supposed to happen to you. With Corey missing, I am much, much, much more aware of how it’s happening everywhere. Man, this is an epidemic.’[/pullquote]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t even remember the drive down here. You know, we sat down, and he talked about why — some of the things that made him leave. And him realizing that the DUI, everybody gets one and it’s nothing to run from, but this is something he’s been thinking about, and it’s something he needed to finish. And it’s like, he’s part of our family, and as I told him, he’s going to be my son forever, no matter what. I still love him,” Robert said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These days, Robert and Cathy come down from Willits periodically to visit Corey in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Corey doesn’t have a strong answer as to why he didn’t call his parents before a prompt from the acquaintance who spotted him on “Missing & Homeless.” What Corey can say is that he was ready when he got the nudge.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The Kind of Story Robin Burton Lives For\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>“A lot of homeless are afraid to contact their family because they don’t know if they’re going to be turned away,” Burton said. “Some, you know, it’s just they’ve been gone for so long they don’t even know what to say to families anymore. Those are our miracle stories. There was a reason he was supposed to be found, and there was closure.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The search for Cloudia morphed into something else for Burton. She’s found a mission, a purpose in life, as a guide for others in need. The story about Burton’s search for her mom has become an invitation for people to trust her. “The same people have probably heard it a thousand times. Well, now they’re coming to me for help and we’re finding their families.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s not to say there haven’t been personal wins for Burton, too. She never knew who her father was. But this summer, she found him. She was told as a kid that her mom got pregnant at 17, and had her at 18. But her grandparents didn’t know who her father was.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recently, Burton took a DNA test and it led to Kansas and her 71- year-old dad. He doesn’t profess to remember Cloudia, but has met with Burton once already — and she’s going to Kansas soon to spend some vacation time with him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Burton’s got a new lead for Cloudia, by the way, from someone in San Francisco who thought they saw her back in June. She would be 66 years old now. White woman, round face that’s probably slouched somewhat with age, presumed shoulder-length gray hair. Might still answer to the name of Cloudia. Or Leslie. Or Diane. Or some other name we don’t know about. Yet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "With the Missing & Homeless Facebook group, homeless people around the world help reunite families with their loved ones.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1740612077,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 86,
"wordCount": 4392
},
"headData": {
"title": "How One Woman's Search for Her Homeless Mother Became a Mission to Help Others | KQED",
"description": "With the Missing & Homeless Facebook group, homeless people around the world help reunite families with their loved ones.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "How One Woman's Search for Her Homeless Mother Became a Mission to Help Others",
"datePublished": "2019-11-29T14:30:23-08:00",
"dateModified": "2025-02-26T15:21:17-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"source": "News",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/news/",
"audioUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/tcrmag/2019/08/TCRMAG20190802.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"audioTrackLength": 436,
"path": "/news/11764275/how-one-womans-search-for-her-homeless-mother-became-a-mission-to-help-others",
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published on July 31, 2019.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__dropcapShortcode__dropcap\">G\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>rowing up, Robin Burton didn’t really know much about her mother, Cloudia Leslie Wells. “I was never told that my mom was mentally ill. My grandparents raised me, her mom and dad, and my mom would come home for a couple months and she’d be gone for a couple of years, and this was normal to me growing up,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘The only thing that I want to say to my mom whenever I find her is, “I love you.” That means more to me than anything else in the world, is just for her to hear those three words: “I love you.”‘",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"size": "medium",
"align": "right",
"citation": "Robin Burton, founder of the Facebook group Missing & Homeless",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Burton was an adult by the time she learned her mom had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. That finally answered questions unanswered when her mom was breezing in and out of her life. Like many kids who don’t understand what they’re looking at when they’re looking at severe mental illness, little Robin came up with a story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I thought that she was living the life of the rich and famous, and didn’t have time for me. That was so far from the truth,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That was a sadness she learned to live with early in life. But when Burton was in her 20s, she lost her mom in a new and different way. First, her grandparents died. Then, when her mom swung through town, sometime around Christmas in 1994, and learned about their deaths, she left and didn’t come back. Ever.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was 23 whenever she went missing, and I’m 48 years old now,” Burton said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Schizophrenia can be a debilitating disease. There’s no known cure, though medications can help. “We don’t know what it is. We don’t know what causes it. I don’t even know what the meaning of a cure would be,” said \u003ca href=\"https://medicine.yale.edu/psychiatry/people/robert_rosenheck.profile\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Robert Rosenheck\u003c/a>, professor of psychiatry and of health policy at the Yale School of Medicine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11764368\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 720px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11764368\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/FB_IMG_1558461841538.jpg\" alt=\"A rare family photo of young Robin Burton with her mother, Cloudia Leslie Wells.\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/FB_IMG_1558461841538.jpg 720w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/FB_IMG_1558461841538-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/FB_IMG_1558461841538-632x474.jpg 632w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/FB_IMG_1558461841538-536x402.jpg 536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A rare family photo of young Robin Burton with her mother, Cloudia Leslie Wells. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Robin Burton)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Scientists do know schizophrenia affects people of every race, culture and economic class. Common symptoms include delusions, social withdrawal and an inability to cope with strong emotions. “Schizophrenia interferes with all areas of mental life. It makes it hard to think clearly. It makes people fearful, angry sometimes, and sometimes numb,” Rosenheck added.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s why you see so many homeless people with schizophrenia. It’s hard for other people to connect with them and stay connected.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the years wore on, Burton hired a private investigator to find Cloudia, though a lot of people told her to let it go. A lot of people tell her that now. But Burton won’t give up on the hope that Cloudia is still alive, and that there might be some benefit to seeing her again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m not here to judge my mom, and I’m not here to ask her any questions on why she didn’t come home, or where she’s been, because she has her own reasons. The only thing that I want to say to my mom whenever I find her is, ‘I love you.’ That means more to me than anything else in the world, is just for her to hear those three words: ‘I love you.’ ”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The question is, how to find her?\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The First Trip to California\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Burton lives in Collinsville, Illinois. “I work at Geico. I’m an insurance agent. I also bartend on the weekends,” at a popular local watering hole called Ardie and Tiny’s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘You know, the question that I get asked a lot, and most families do that are looking for their missing loved ones that are living homeless, is maybe they don’t want to be found.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"size": "medium",
"align": "right",
"citation": "Robin Burton, founder of the Facebook group Missing & Homeless",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>One evening, almost five years ago, Burton was working at that bar, “and it was a slow night, and I had a phone call from my private investigator, and he had told me that he doesn’t know how he missed it. But my mom’s Social Security number was used at a homeless shelter in 2013.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was a homeless shelter in Santa Monica, California, roughly 2,000 miles from Collinsville.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Burton explained, “I didn’t think a whole lot of it because I’ve been on wild goose chases before. I told a customer, just for small talk, about the phone call conversation. Unbeknownst to me, that customer went home and started Googling the Web. Two days later, he called me on the phone and he said, ‘Robin, I need your email address. There’s something I want you to look at.’ ”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was a 2014 article from the Los Angeles Times, talking about the annual point-in-time count of the local homeless population. There was one photograph up top, of a homeless woman on the street. “I knew immediately that it was her. Because your eyes don’t change.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Burton called up the L.A. Times, and the reporter put Burton in touch with the photographer, who said the photo was taken one year before the article was written.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“January 2013 in Santa Monica, California, the exact same place and area my mom’s Social Security number was used. In the same year. And that was all the confirmation I needed, ’cause I already knew it was her,” Burton said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That tip was 2 years old, but she decided to chase it down anyway. She set up a Go Fund Me page to get help paying for a rental car to get to California, and for a motel room to stay in when she got there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A local \u003ca href=\"https://fox2now.com/2015/02/17/collinsville-woman-heads-to-la-to-find-her-mother-after-spotting-her-in-la-times-picture/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Fox News\u003c/a> outlet broadcast a set-up story the night before Burton left for L.A. By then, Burton had talked with a police officer at the LAPD, who told her Cloudia had been sighted on L.A.’s skid row. Burton told Fox, “I’m not scared of skid row. That’s not my biggest fear. My biggest fear is my mom not wanting to come back with me. Alls I know is I have to find her. I gotta let her know I love her.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Lessons Learned on Skid Row\u003c/h2>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11764385\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11764385 size-full\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS27189_GettyImages-691243686-qut.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS27189_GettyImages-691243686-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS27189_GettyImages-691243686-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS27189_GettyImages-691243686-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS27189_GettyImages-691243686-qut-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS27189_GettyImages-691243686-qut-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A woman passes a wheelchair-bound homeless man on Spring Street on May 1, 2017, in Los Angeles. The 2017 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count indicated a dramatic jump of 20 percent in the city of Los Angeles, while Los Angeles County has spiked 23 percent. \u003ccite>(David McNew/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>There has been a skid row in Los Angeles since the late 19th century. There have been attempts to clear out the poverty and crime from this square mile in the heart of downtown since the 1950s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But it’s never looked as bad as it does in modern times: a tent city of roughly 4,000 people has sprung up on these sun-baked concrete sidewalks, crawling with rats and bedbugs, reeking with the smell of human urine and feces.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Robin arrived in 2015 carrying a box of candy bars wrapped with her mom’s picture, but she made a critical mistake. She brought along another TV camera crew.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People on the streets were not happy to see that, or her. “The very first day out there was very scary and emotional for me. I broke down crying. I had to leave. I had to leave and I had to go back to my motel and take a deep breath and re-evaluate.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Back in the motel room, Burton decided she needed to try again, in a different way. “Without the cameras, everything was so different. and it was actually the homeless that was helping me look for my mom. It was them that was telling me, ‘You know I wish I had somebody looking for me.’ ”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You could imagine Cloudia visiting a place like the \u003ca href=\"https://www.downtownwomenscenter.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Downtown Women’s Center\u003c/a>. Homeless and near-homeless women from all over Southern California come here looking for help for a range of problems.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We serve about 4,000 women a year and it’s very fairly infrequent that we see them reunify. It’s really probably only about five a year,” said chief program officer Erika Hartman, who betrays in her voice a certain exhaustion at the very idea of what sounds like a much desired fairy-tale ending.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘I was very, very angry at God. How could you send me a picture after 20 years? How could I go out there and not find her? And it wasn’t until I came home and I realized I’m not alone. There are other families just like me.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"size": "medium",
"align": "right",
"citation": "Robin Burton, founder of the Facebook group Missing & Homeless",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“Usually, at the point that they have come to skid row, they have really run out of other connections that they can turn to. Sometimes, it’s because they’ve really exhausted their relationships with people who are trying support them. Or who have set boundaries due to substance use. Lots of women report experiencing shame about homelessness,” Hartman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even with help, three weeks passed with no sign of Cloudia. Some people told Burton they believed Cloudia must be dead. Whatever the case, Burton needed to go back home and get back to work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That spring, Burton started a Facebook group called \u003ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/MissingHomelessOrg/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Missing & Homeless\u003c/a>. The concept is simple: post a person’s story, with enough details and photos, in the hopes somebody in the group will recognize that missing person and help put them in touch with the family looking for them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They’re not a piece of garbage, you know. They’re somebody’s mother. They’re somebody son. They’re somebody’s sister.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11764316\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 742px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11764316\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/1485734303999.jpeg\" alt=\"One of numerous posters Robin Burton has drawn up over the years in the search for her mother, believed to be homeless somewhere in California.\" width=\"742\" height=\"960\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/1485734303999.jpeg 742w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/1485734303999-160x207.jpeg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 742px) 100vw, 742px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">One of numerous posters Robin Burton has drawn up over the years in the search for her mother, believed to be homeless somewhere in California. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Robin Burton)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>An Education in Finding People\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Robin said she functions like a reporter when a family contacts her for help. She presses them for more information. Where, exactly, did the person go missing? Are there any distinguishing characteristics, like eye color or tattoos? Do they suffer from mental illness or addiction?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The details make it easier to find somebody, but they also emotionally engage the Facebook group members. As opposed to say, some generic post about a Jane Doe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I had no idea when I started ‘Missing & Homeless’ what it was going to become, and how many followers and supporters that we were gonna have. Then we started finding people. Four years later, we have probably found 70 or 80 people,” Burton said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It turns out a lot of the group’s 63,000 members are homeless themselves, typically logging into Facebook at public libraries — in part because they don’t have any barriers precluding them from getting involved.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "aside",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"tag": "homelessness",
"label": "More on Homelessness "
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Burton has had a number of frustrating conversations with health care providers and social service workers who won’t say boo about someone who friends and family are searching for.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You can walk into a homeless shelter or a soup kitchen and they will not tell you if they’re there. My mom could be in the same building as me and I would never even know it. It’s heartbreaking, whenever you have a family member that is missing and living homeless, the lack of help that you get because of it,” Burton said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s a very big reason why most social workers and health care providers would not tell Robin if her mom was in a particular building. It’s against federal law, specifically, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/laws-regulations/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996\u003c/a>. HIPAA, as most people call it, has a provision that protects the privacy of individuals’ medical records, including the fact of a person’s presence in a facility.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hartman of the Downtown Women’s Center explained staff are happy to take a message and pass it on. But it’s the homeless person’s choice whether to connect. Always. In part, because they can’t presume the best about people who say they’re searching for a loved one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have women who have been trafficked or abused or exploited by family members,” Hartman said. “Many of them don’t list an emergency contact. We have women who pass and we don’t know how to find a next of kin.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In other words, many of these women have good reasons they don’t want to be found. Burton gets that. She’s also seen enough to know some people are just too far gone into the abyss of mental illness, or addiction, or both.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I had a lady that was looking for her son that was schizophrenic, and he was found after, after five or six years, and she didn’t recognize him at first. You know, because the streets weather you. You change drastically. He didn’t recognize her either, and he said, ‘You’re not my mom.’ He’s missing again,” Burton said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So far, we’ve been presuming that the right homeless person has been correctly identified. Sometimes, people eager to help say they’ve seen someone they actually haven’t.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It happened to Burton, just weeks after she returned home from skid row that first time. A volunteer from the Downtown Women’s Center called Burton to say Cloudia was there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Burton bought a plane ticket. She was sitting on that plane ahead of takeoff, when she got another call saying the volunteer was mistaken. The timing was such that Burton flew to L.A. and back: an expensive, useless and emotionally painful trip.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, that wouldn’t stop Burton from recommending families make every effort to file missing person reports, and take all the other recommended steps. Because the wins, when they happen, are so satisfying.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11764346\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11764346\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38248_Corey-qut.jpg\" alt=\"A former workmate of Corey Abernathy's asked his parents for permission to post this on the Facebook group "Missing & Homeless." That's how a housemate of Abernathy's in San Francisco spotted it, and told him, and he called his parents after a radio silence of two years.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1246\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38248_Corey-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38248_Corey-qut-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38248_Corey-qut-800x519.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38248_Corey-qut-1020x662.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2019/07/RS38248_Corey-qut-1200x779.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A former workmate of Corey Abernathy asked his parents for permission to post this on the Facebook group “Missing & Homeless.” That’s how a housemate of Abernathy’s in San Francisco spotted it, and told him, and he called his parents after a radio silence of two years. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Corey Abernathy)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>A Win in San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Corey Abernathy, and his parents, Cathy and Robert Abernathy, agreed to meet me on a bright, breezy day at one of his favorite haunts in San Francisco: Crissy Field. When he was homeless, Corey used to camp in the Presidio, not far from where tourists whiz by on their rented bicycles and children eat ice cream while wearing fleece jackets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I just thought too much about life. I felt a lot of pressure,” Corey said. He’s 5-foot-9. About 160 pounds. Hair and beard close-cropped. His blue eyes twinkle in the sun. He looks like he’s gotten a lot of sun in recent years, but nothing that seems out of the ordinary for an athletic white man in his early 30s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Corey was 28 when he decided to throw on a backpack one day and leave his parents’ home in Willits in Mendocino County. With no warning, or explanation — though there were signs when the family looks back on it — that he wasn’t happy. That he was drifting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I just remember that there was like a weird amount of anxiety on me,” Abernathy said. “I always tried to make sense of everything. I put too much pressure on myself that wasn’t really there. Yeah, the way I dealt with it was just drinking a lot.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He’d struggled with anxiety since childhood. He didn’t seem to have a strong idea for a career the way his older brother had. He dropped out of Sacramento State almost as soon as he got there. He lost a job in retail, then switched to a local casino. But there, he was surrounded by alcohol, and the consequences were predictable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Corey started reading about people who dropped out of society for a different kind of life. “So it wasn’t like one single moment. It was something I was thinking about for probably like a year,” he explained.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then Corey got a DUI, something he was really ashamed about. He thought to himself, if he had no money, he wouldn’t be able to buy alcohol. And if he had nothing to worry about, he wouldn’t want to buy alcohol.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He explained, “My car got towed and I just said, ‘I’m done.’ At the time, it was a good feeling. I don’t have to deal with problems I can’t figure out anymore.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But remember, he was living with his parents at the time. And when he walked out that front door, he left no note. No explanation. His mom, Cathy, is a registered nurse. His dad, Robert, is a retired custom cabinetmaker.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His father recalled the day, “Got home and the house was empty. To me, it looked like he’d just walked out the door to go out for a walk. Everything was still in his room. Nothing disturbed. He just disappeared.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They called the police and filed a missing person’s report. Only to discover the police in Mendocino County have a loose attitude about adults who disappear, given the local marijuana growing industry’s reliance on seasonal workers. In this business, pruning is called “trimming,” and many of the trimmers come and go.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In Mendocino County, Sonoma County if a adult is missing, they’re out trimming,” Cathy said. “It was October and it was trimming season. They took the report, but they weren’t doing anything with it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So Robert and Cathy had to start looking on their own. Corey’s friends helped. A former workmate tacking up a poster in Ukiah met a homeless person who directed them to Fort Bragg, where Robert and Cathy found Corey in a park, about six weeks after he disappeared. But Corey wouldn’t come back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I wasn’t ready to see them,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘I gave everything up, you know. It was like, I don’t know if I’m ever going to have a room again. I don’t know if I’m ever going to have a relationship again. I distinctively classified myself aside from society.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"size": "medium",
"align": "right",
"citation": "Corey Abernathy, building a new life for himself in San Francisco after more than three years homeless",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Robert described his thinking in that moment, “As much as I wanted to grab him and throw him in the car, I knew he’d be gone again. So that was the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make was to let him go.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So they did, and Corey kept hitchhiking, to Point Arena, Gualala and finally San Francisco — where he proceeded to bounce from sleeping rough in the Presidio to side streets and shelters, sporadically sending his parents Facebook messages from public libraries. Until he stopped doing that. The last one was in February 2016.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I felt regret and guilt. I knew I was going to have to figure out a way to speak to them, and yeah, apologize,” Corey said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Every now and then, his parents would get a lead and take off to follow it, only to find it mistaken. Often, from somebody overcome with wishful thinking. A lot of guys on the street look like Corey. “OK, he’s here. He’s in Yuba City. He’s in Sacramento. Manteca. Denver. I mean, you name it, he was there,” Robert said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Weeks turned into months, and then years. Corey’s last messages came from San Francisco. So Robert and Cathy drove south repeatedly to scour the city’s Tenderloin on foot. “He could be on the next block over headed in the opposite direction, and we’d never know it. You know, there were days when we walked 25 miles,” Robert said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The night before Corey left his parents’ home in Willits, Cathy started having this recurring dream — nightmare, really.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In it, she keeps getting woken up by her nephew, Bobby, who committed suicide in 2010. It’s like he was a contact from the underworld, trying to tell her something about her son.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He’d wake me up that, ‘We gotta get going.’ I was on the hard ground. I was cold. I wasn’t safe. I had to get moving. You know, we had to get moving,” she recalled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, at some point, the nightmares abruptly stopped. Cathy had two theories about what happened to Corey. “Maybe, you know, he’s getting his life together. Or he wasn’t on this earth anymore. You know, it was one of the two.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As it happened, this was right around the time Corey was ready for rehab. He got involved with \u003ca href=\"https://www.aa.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Alcoholics Anonymous\u003c/a>. He got into a sober living facility.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But he didn’t reconnect with his parents. And two years passed. That’s when, early this year, one of Corey’s old workmates posted on “Missing & Homeless.” And someone Corey lives with recognized him. And told Corey. And Corey called home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "‘You see the homeless. You hear about people missing family. And that’s supposed to happen to other people. It’s not supposed to happen to you. With Corey missing, I am much, much, much more aware of how it’s happening everywhere. Man, this is an epidemic.’",
"name": "pullquote",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"size": "medium",
"align": "right",
"citation": "Robert Abernathy, whose son went missing for more than three years",
"label": ""
},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t even remember the drive down here. You know, we sat down, and he talked about why — some of the things that made him leave. And him realizing that the DUI, everybody gets one and it’s nothing to run from, but this is something he’s been thinking about, and it’s something he needed to finish. And it’s like, he’s part of our family, and as I told him, he’s going to be my son forever, no matter what. I still love him,” Robert said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These days, Robert and Cathy come down from Willits periodically to visit Corey in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Corey doesn’t have a strong answer as to why he didn’t call his parents before a prompt from the acquaintance who spotted him on “Missing & Homeless.” What Corey can say is that he was ready when he got the nudge.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The Kind of Story Robin Burton Lives For\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>“A lot of homeless are afraid to contact their family because they don’t know if they’re going to be turned away,” Burton said. “Some, you know, it’s just they’ve been gone for so long they don’t even know what to say to families anymore. Those are our miracle stories. There was a reason he was supposed to be found, and there was closure.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The search for Cloudia morphed into something else for Burton. She’s found a mission, a purpose in life, as a guide for others in need. The story about Burton’s search for her mom has become an invitation for people to trust her. “The same people have probably heard it a thousand times. Well, now they’re coming to me for help and we’re finding their families.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s not to say there haven’t been personal wins for Burton, too. She never knew who her father was. But this summer, she found him. She was told as a kid that her mom got pregnant at 17, and had her at 18. But her grandparents didn’t know who her father was.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recently, Burton took a DNA test and it led to Kansas and her 71- year-old dad. He doesn’t profess to remember Cloudia, but has met with Burton once already — and she’s going to Kansas soon to spend some vacation time with him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Burton’s got a new lead for Cloudia, by the way, from someone in San Francisco who thought they saw her back in June. She would be 66 years old now. White woman, round face that’s probably slouched somewhat with age, presumed shoulder-length gray hair. Might still answer to the name of Cloudia. Or Leslie. Or Diane. Or some other name we don’t know about. Yet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/11764275/how-one-womans-search-for-her-homeless-mother-became-a-mission-to-help-others",
"authors": [
"251"
],
"programs": [
"news_72"
],
"categories": [
"news_1758",
"news_457",
"news_6266",
"news_8",
"news_33520",
"news_248"
],
"tags": [
"news_249",
"news_18543",
"news_4020",
"news_4",
"news_2011",
"news_38",
"news_17954",
"news_3181"
],
"featImg": "news_11764382",
"label": "source_news_11764275"
},
"news_11638652": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_11638652",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "11638652",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1514044893000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "giving-back-with-the-gift-of-a-tamalada",
"title": "Giving Back With the Gift of a Tamalada",
"publishDate": 1514044893,
"format": "audio",
"headTitle": "Giving Back With the Gift of a Tamalada | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"term": 72,
"site": "news"
},
"content": "\u003cp>This morning, the bustling kitchen of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.stfranciscenterla.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">St. Francis Center\u003c/a> in downtown Los Angeles, near Skid Row, is filled with the pungent aromas of chilies, onions and garlic. Four huge covered pots steam on top of large stoves. It’s a well-worn community kitchen that has been a beacon of support and services for the city’s homeless and low-income residents for decades.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But today there’s a twist. The people who normally receive services from the center are running the show. They’re giving back through a holiday tamale-making party, or tamalada. And it’s all thanks to the spirit of community and care that the center fosters — one person and one meal at a time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11638934\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11638934 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28707_14-qut-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28707_14-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28707_14-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28707_14-qut-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28707_14-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28707_14-qut-1180x785.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28707_14-qut-960x639.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28707_14-qut-240x160.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28707_14-qut-375x250.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28707_14-qut-520x346.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lucila Velázquez is hard at work with her tamale-making crew: her daughter Heidi and friend Estella. \u003ccite>(Blair Wells/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Lucila Velázquez obviously knows what she’s doing. Without stopping her conversation, she grabs a softened oja (corn husk) and spreads masa, or corn dough, onto the smooth side of the husk. “Jenny,” she yells sweetly to one of the younger kids across the room. “Are you going to help?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She and a handful of other folks stand side by side at long tables lined with oversize metal bowls. They’re stuffing the masa-covered oja with cheese, shredded pork and chile verde. A few quick folds of the husk and they move on to the next one. The rush is on. The holidays are almost here.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11638916\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11638916 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28700_01-qut-2-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28700_01-qut-2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28700_01-qut-2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28700_01-qut-2-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28700_01-qut-2.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28700_01-qut-2-1180x785.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28700_01-qut-2-960x639.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28700_01-qut-2-240x160.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28700_01-qut-2-375x250.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28700_01-qut-2-520x346.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Volunteers Rodrigo, Gabriela, Estella, Erik, Lucila, Armando, Amparo and Celia (clockwise from the left) take part in the tamalada, preparing chicken and cheese tamales at the St. Francis Center in Los Angeles. \u003ccite>(Blair Wells/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>For the past 45 years, the St. Francis Center (situated on a street appropriately called “Hope”) has been providing hot meals to people living on or near one of the poorest stretches of the Los Angeles streets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Marianne Kulikov, development director for the center, stands nearby admiring the volunteers making the tamales.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We serve about 100,000 meals to our homeless guests every year,” she says with a clear sense of pride. “We have about 200 to 300 guests come in each morning for a hot meal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And sometimes it’s their only meal of the day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The center also has a food pantry to help low-income people, many living on the edge of homelessness. People like Lucila Velázquez.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ve been coming here for about 20 years,” Velázquez explains. “My kids have been coming since they were little for after-school programs, summer camps and even Zumba.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Velázquez gets her groceries from here, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The pantry program gives us different items like vegetables, beans, rice, meat and eggs. Sometimes they have hygiene products like shampoo and even dog food,” Velázquez says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Items Velázquez says she couldn’t afford on her own. She works at a nearby clothing factory and says she barely makes ends meet with her low-wage job. She says that, without a doubt, the center is the reason she and her family survive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One hundred percent of the families we serve fall well below the federal poverty level,” Kulikov explains. “So being able to provide them with something where they don’t have to worry about where their next meal is coming from to feed their family is just huge.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kulikov says recipients of the food bank can get groceries here once a week and take home about 50 pounds of packaged and fresh food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We go out and rescue food from the community,” she says. “So it equates to about $2.5 million worth of food that we’re rescuing from local partners like Target, Costco, the Regional Food Bank and Trader Joe’s.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11638937\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11638937\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28688_02-qut-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28688_02-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28688_02-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28688_02-qut-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28688_02-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28688_02-qut-1180x785.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28688_02-qut-960x639.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28688_02-qut-240x160.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28688_02-qut-375x250.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28688_02-qut-520x346.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ana Aguirre, one of the “Top Tamale” chefs at the St. Francis Center in Los Angeles, watches over her sweet tamales as they steam. \u003ccite>(Blair Wells/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The center also offers health services and a hygiene program, where people can come in for a hot shower and receive clean clothes. It’s all run on a tight budget with a small staff, so it relies on volunteers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s part of the reason Lucila Velázquez is here today.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s really important for me to be able to give back,” she says. “All my kids have been involved in the programs here. They’ve helped us out so much and in so many different ways that any time we can give back, we do.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11638951\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11638951\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28710_15-qut-800x600.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28710_15-qut-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28710_15-qut-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28710_15-qut.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28710_15-qut-240x180.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28710_15-qut-375x281.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28710_15-qut-520x390.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dry erase board just outside the kitchen at the St. Francis Center in Los Angeles. Artwork by volunteer Tris Caserio. \u003ccite>(Jose Ramirez, ED of St. Francis Center)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But there’s also another reason she’s in the midst of this community tamalada. Several years ago, a group of local women who rely on the food bank came up with a fundraising idea to help the center — a tamale-making contest they dubbed “Top Tamale.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was a little competition that made a big impact. Each year, the Top Tamale champs win the honor of having their family recipes used for the center’s tamale-selling fundraiser.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I won,” Velázquez laughs. “Twice!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11638935\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11638935 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28708_05-qut-3-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28708_05-qut-3-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28708_05-qut-3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28708_05-qut-3-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28708_05-qut-3.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28708_05-qut-3-1180x785.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28708_05-qut-3-960x639.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28708_05-qut-3-240x160.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28708_05-qut-3-375x250.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28708_05-qut-3-520x346.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lucila Velázquez has been crowned “Top Tamale” twice for her cheese tamale at the St. Francis Center in Los Angeles (clockwise from the left: friend Estella, son Erik, daughter Heidi, and Velázquez). \u003ccite>(Blair Wells/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>This year Velázquez’s recipe won the cheese tamale competition. That’s why she’s here today with her family and friends, cranking out what will soon be 4,500-plus cheese, pork, sweet and chicken tamales.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So right now we’re preparing the cheese tamales,” she explains.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a traditional Mexican recipe she has since passed down to her five kids. Two of them are here helping: Heidi and Erik.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am wrapping the tamales in this sheet so the cheese can’t escape,” Erik explains, as he wraps a thin paper sheet around the oja of a finished tamale. He quickly added, “I wouldn’t want to make them alone. If I have my sisters and my mom with me, yeah.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s because tamales are hard work. They take many hands. Hands to mix the masa. Hands to shred the pork. Hands to chop the chilies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My hand is on fire because I was cutting chilies last night and I didn’t put gloves on,” he admits. “So I have to dunk them in water like every five minutes.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Making 4,500 tamales is no easy task. So every Sunday for the past two months, Velázquez and her kids have come here to cook.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11638936\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11638936\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28703_10-qut-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28703_10-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28703_10-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28703_10-qut-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28703_10-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28703_10-qut-1180x785.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28703_10-qut-960x639.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28703_10-qut-240x160.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28703_10-qut-375x250.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28703_10-qut-520x346.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">“Top Tamale” chef Ana Aguirre (left) and Christina Velázquez do a final check on Aguirre’s chicken tamales at the St. Francis Center in Los Angeles. \u003ccite>(Blair Wells/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Kulikov says all the proceeds from Top Tamale sales will benefit the food pantry. She adds that this couldn’t happen without help from people like Lucila Velázquez.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Lucila has been a guest of our services for several years now and she would just come in,” Kulikov says. “There’s always those guests who want to give back, and that’s what I think makes St. Francis Center so unique and so wonderful.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The last of the tamales are finally packed in plastic boxes. This weekend, people from all over L.A. County will drop by to pick up their tamales just in time for Christmas. And whether they know it or not, they’ll be sharing in a tradition that has been carried across borders and passed down through generations.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Holiday hope with a side of homemade tamales at the St. Francis Center near downtown L.A.’s Skid Row.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1740181359,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 34,
"wordCount": 1385
},
"headData": {
"title": "Giving Back With the Gift of a Tamalada | KQED",
"description": "Holiday hope with a side of homemade tamales at the St. Francis Center near downtown L.A.’s Skid Row.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Giving Back With the Gift of a Tamalada",
"datePublished": "2017-12-23T08:01:33-08:00",
"dateModified": "2025-02-21T15:42:39-08:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"audioUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/tcrmag/2017/12/TCRPM20171222b.mp3",
"sticky": false,
"path": "/news/11638652/giving-back-with-the-gift-of-a-tamalada",
"audioDuration": 237000,
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>This morning, the bustling kitchen of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.stfranciscenterla.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">St. Francis Center\u003c/a> in downtown Los Angeles, near Skid Row, is filled with the pungent aromas of chilies, onions and garlic. Four huge covered pots steam on top of large stoves. It’s a well-worn community kitchen that has been a beacon of support and services for the city’s homeless and low-income residents for decades.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But today there’s a twist. The people who normally receive services from the center are running the show. They’re giving back through a holiday tamale-making party, or tamalada. And it’s all thanks to the spirit of community and care that the center fosters — one person and one meal at a time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11638934\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11638934 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28707_14-qut-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28707_14-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28707_14-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28707_14-qut-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28707_14-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28707_14-qut-1180x785.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28707_14-qut-960x639.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28707_14-qut-240x160.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28707_14-qut-375x250.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28707_14-qut-520x346.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lucila Velázquez is hard at work with her tamale-making crew: her daughter Heidi and friend Estella. \u003ccite>(Blair Wells/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Lucila Velázquez obviously knows what she’s doing. Without stopping her conversation, she grabs a softened oja (corn husk) and spreads masa, or corn dough, onto the smooth side of the husk. “Jenny,” she yells sweetly to one of the younger kids across the room. “Are you going to help?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She and a handful of other folks stand side by side at long tables lined with oversize metal bowls. They’re stuffing the masa-covered oja with cheese, shredded pork and chile verde. A few quick folds of the husk and they move on to the next one. The rush is on. The holidays are almost here.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11638916\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11638916 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28700_01-qut-2-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28700_01-qut-2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28700_01-qut-2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28700_01-qut-2-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28700_01-qut-2.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28700_01-qut-2-1180x785.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28700_01-qut-2-960x639.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28700_01-qut-2-240x160.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28700_01-qut-2-375x250.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28700_01-qut-2-520x346.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Volunteers Rodrigo, Gabriela, Estella, Erik, Lucila, Armando, Amparo and Celia (clockwise from the left) take part in the tamalada, preparing chicken and cheese tamales at the St. Francis Center in Los Angeles. \u003ccite>(Blair Wells/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>For the past 45 years, the St. Francis Center (situated on a street appropriately called “Hope”) has been providing hot meals to people living on or near one of the poorest stretches of the Los Angeles streets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Marianne Kulikov, development director for the center, stands nearby admiring the volunteers making the tamales.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We serve about 100,000 meals to our homeless guests every year,” she says with a clear sense of pride. “We have about 200 to 300 guests come in each morning for a hot meal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And sometimes it’s their only meal of the day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The center also has a food pantry to help low-income people, many living on the edge of homelessness. People like Lucila Velázquez.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ve been coming here for about 20 years,” Velázquez explains. “My kids have been coming since they were little for after-school programs, summer camps and even Zumba.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Velázquez gets her groceries from here, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The pantry program gives us different items like vegetables, beans, rice, meat and eggs. Sometimes they have hygiene products like shampoo and even dog food,” Velázquez says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Items Velázquez says she couldn’t afford on her own. She works at a nearby clothing factory and says she barely makes ends meet with her low-wage job. She says that, without a doubt, the center is the reason she and her family survive.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One hundred percent of the families we serve fall well below the federal poverty level,” Kulikov explains. “So being able to provide them with something where they don’t have to worry about where their next meal is coming from to feed their family is just huge.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kulikov says recipients of the food bank can get groceries here once a week and take home about 50 pounds of packaged and fresh food.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We go out and rescue food from the community,” she says. “So it equates to about $2.5 million worth of food that we’re rescuing from local partners like Target, Costco, the Regional Food Bank and Trader Joe’s.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11638937\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11638937\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28688_02-qut-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28688_02-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28688_02-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28688_02-qut-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28688_02-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28688_02-qut-1180x785.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28688_02-qut-960x639.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28688_02-qut-240x160.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28688_02-qut-375x250.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28688_02-qut-520x346.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ana Aguirre, one of the “Top Tamale” chefs at the St. Francis Center in Los Angeles, watches over her sweet tamales as they steam. \u003ccite>(Blair Wells/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The center also offers health services and a hygiene program, where people can come in for a hot shower and receive clean clothes. It’s all run on a tight budget with a small staff, so it relies on volunteers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s part of the reason Lucila Velázquez is here today.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s really important for me to be able to give back,” she says. “All my kids have been involved in the programs here. They’ve helped us out so much and in so many different ways that any time we can give back, we do.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11638951\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11638951\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28710_15-qut-800x600.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28710_15-qut-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28710_15-qut-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28710_15-qut.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28710_15-qut-240x180.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28710_15-qut-375x281.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28710_15-qut-520x390.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dry erase board just outside the kitchen at the St. Francis Center in Los Angeles. Artwork by volunteer Tris Caserio. \u003ccite>(Jose Ramirez, ED of St. Francis Center)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But there’s also another reason she’s in the midst of this community tamalada. Several years ago, a group of local women who rely on the food bank came up with a fundraising idea to help the center — a tamale-making contest they dubbed “Top Tamale.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was a little competition that made a big impact. Each year, the Top Tamale champs win the honor of having their family recipes used for the center’s tamale-selling fundraiser.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I won,” Velázquez laughs. “Twice!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11638935\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11638935 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28708_05-qut-3-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28708_05-qut-3-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28708_05-qut-3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28708_05-qut-3-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28708_05-qut-3.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28708_05-qut-3-1180x785.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28708_05-qut-3-960x639.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28708_05-qut-3-240x160.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28708_05-qut-3-375x250.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28708_05-qut-3-520x346.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lucila Velázquez has been crowned “Top Tamale” twice for her cheese tamale at the St. Francis Center in Los Angeles (clockwise from the left: friend Estella, son Erik, daughter Heidi, and Velázquez). \u003ccite>(Blair Wells/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>This year Velázquez’s recipe won the cheese tamale competition. That’s why she’s here today with her family and friends, cranking out what will soon be 4,500-plus cheese, pork, sweet and chicken tamales.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So right now we’re preparing the cheese tamales,” she explains.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a traditional Mexican recipe she has since passed down to her five kids. Two of them are here helping: Heidi and Erik.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am wrapping the tamales in this sheet so the cheese can’t escape,” Erik explains, as he wraps a thin paper sheet around the oja of a finished tamale. He quickly added, “I wouldn’t want to make them alone. If I have my sisters and my mom with me, yeah.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s because tamales are hard work. They take many hands. Hands to mix the masa. Hands to shred the pork. Hands to chop the chilies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My hand is on fire because I was cutting chilies last night and I didn’t put gloves on,” he admits. “So I have to dunk them in water like every five minutes.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Making 4,500 tamales is no easy task. So every Sunday for the past two months, Velázquez and her kids have come here to cook.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11638936\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-11638936\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28703_10-qut-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28703_10-qut-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28703_10-qut-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28703_10-qut-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28703_10-qut.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28703_10-qut-1180x785.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28703_10-qut-960x639.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28703_10-qut-240x160.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28703_10-qut-375x250.jpg 375w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/12/RS28703_10-qut-520x346.jpg 520w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">“Top Tamale” chef Ana Aguirre (left) and Christina Velázquez do a final check on Aguirre’s chicken tamales at the St. Francis Center in Los Angeles. \u003ccite>(Blair Wells/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Kulikov says all the proceeds from Top Tamale sales will benefit the food pantry. She adds that this couldn’t happen without help from people like Lucila Velázquez.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Lucila has been a guest of our services for several years now and she would just come in,” Kulikov says. “There’s always those guests who want to give back, and that’s what I think makes St. Francis Center so unique and so wonderful.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The last of the tamales are finally packed in plastic boxes. This weekend, people from all over L.A. County will drop by to pick up their tamales just in time for Christmas. And whether they know it or not, they’ll be sharing in a tradition that has been carried across borders and passed down through generations.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/11638652/giving-back-with-the-gift-of-a-tamalada",
"authors": [
"11311"
],
"programs": [
"news_72"
],
"categories": [
"news_223",
"news_8",
"news_33520"
],
"tags": [
"news_333",
"news_20337",
"news_4",
"news_17954",
"news_17286"
],
"featImg": "news_11638918",
"label": "news_72"
},
"news_10844950": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_10844950",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "10844950",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1454025073000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news",
"term": 72
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1454025073,
"format": "image",
"disqusTitle": "The Important, Imperfect Science of Counting L.A.'s Homeless",
"title": "The Important, Imperfect Science of Counting L.A.'s Homeless",
"headTitle": "SF Homeless Project | The California Report | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cp>For three days and nights, several thousand volunteers have fanned out across Los Angeles County trying to get an accurate tally of the county's immense homeless population. The Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count is considered the largest such effort in the nation. The count is now done annually, one of several changes intended to make it more efficient and effective.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Conducting a \u003ca href=\"http://www.theycountwillyou.org/\">homeless count \u003c/a>is not easy. Volunteers traipse into dry river bottoms, push through thick brush at public parks and cruise along dimly lit city streets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[soundcloud url=\"https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/244233532\" params=\"color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false\" width=\"100%\" height=\"166\" iframe=\"true\" /]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Volunteer counters are discouraged from having too much interaction with people -- there’s a more comprehensive census-style survey that is done separately from the actual counting -- or from disturbing people holed up in makeshift outdoor shelters or vehicles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10847788\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 700px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/?attachment_id=10847788\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-10847788 size-full\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/homless-count-the-2015-homeless-count-demographic-survey-p1-normal.gif\" alt=\"The L.A. County annual homeless count includes a more comprehensive census-style survey portion that's done separately from the actual counting.\" width=\"700\" height=\"906\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The L.A. County annual homeless count includes a more comprehensive census-style survey portion that's done separately from the actual counting. \u003ccite>(Los Angeles County Homeless Authority)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>So volunteers, typically led by members of the \u003ca href=\"http://www.lahsa.org/\">Los Angeles County Homeless Authority’s \u003c/a>street outreach team, typically rely on their own intuition, instinct and internal extrapolation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s an imperfect science, to be sure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"The way the count is conducted, it is often done drive-by, right. You're in a car looking for people, but really the people are not to be found,” says Wade Trimmer, director of the \u003ca href=\"http://sfvrescuemission.org/\">San Fernando Rescue Mission\u003c/a>, about 30 miles northeast of downtown L.A.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trimmer says there’s been a significant spike in the San Fernando Valley’s homeless population. But he doesn’t think it’s accurately reflected in recent L.A. County homeless counts, partly because of how the count is done: mostly at night by relatively inexperienced volunteers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"If you look at downtown [Los Angeles], it makes a lot of sense to count at night because people are congregated downtown at night,\" says Trimmer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It doesn't make as much sense to me to do the count at night in the San Fernando Valley because people are not congregating on the street,\" he says. \"They’re finding a place to sleep, they're in the canyons or behind a building.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It can be frustrating, says Trimmer, because shelters and other services depend on the data collected during the count. It’s the number cited by local leaders to justify spending more or less of their own resources. It’s how the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development figures how much money to give L.A. County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10848007\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessFoodLine-800x518.jpg\" alt=\"People wait for a meal outside the Midnight Mission on Skid Row. Roughly half of L.A. County’s homeless live in the city of Los Angeles, several thousand in shelters and on the streets of downtown’s Skid Row. \" width=\"800\" height=\"518\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-10848007\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessFoodLine-800x518.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessFoodLine-400x259.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessFoodLine-768x498.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessFoodLine-1440x933.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessFoodLine.jpg 1920w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessFoodLine-1180x765.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessFoodLine-960x622.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">People wait for a meal outside the Midnight Mission on Skid Row. Roughly half of L.A. County’s homeless live in the city of Los Angeles, several thousand in shelters and on the streets of downtown’s Skid Row. \u003ccite>(ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It helps us advocate for our fair share of funding,” explains L.A. County Homeless Authority spokeswoman Naomi Goldman. \"It's also data that helps us work with the community-based organizations and the homeless service providers to figure out where best to allocate the dollars so that'll do the most impact.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year's L.A. County homeless count recorded a 12 percent increase from 2013, or around 41,000 people living on the streets and in shelters across the region.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More than half of them were living in the city of Los Angeles alone, with the greatest number concentrated in and around downtown’s Skid Row.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[contextly_sidebar id=\"W4TkWX7xJXRwXIBiOWoCKIpIUoxFVAGJ\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the raw numbers are just part of the picture. Just as important, says Todd Palmquist, is a survey portion that works a little like a census survey.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Certain numbers of the homeless are actually interviewed,\" says Palmquist, former director of the San Gabriel Valley Consortium on Homelessness and a volunteer homeless count coordinator and trainer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The survey helps identify trends, such as more people living in cars, for example, or spikes in the number of kids or military veterans living on the street.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"It can really give a good idea of populations that are in need of help, and hopefully eventually be able to be used to identify and set up programs to prevent homelessness rather than just help people get out of homelessness,” says Palmquist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year L.A. County shifts to an annual count, a move it hopes results in more consistent data. The count used to be done every other year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10848013\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/SkidRowCartsGuys-800x521.jpg\" alt=\"Many homeless people come to Skid Row because they could not find services in their own communities. Still, recent counts have shown spikes in homelessness in L.A. neighborhoods farther and farther from downtown. Part of the 2016 count included an effort to link people to services.\" width=\"800\" height=\"521\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-10848013\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/SkidRowCartsGuys.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/SkidRowCartsGuys-400x261.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/SkidRowCartsGuys-768x500.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Many homeless people come to Skid Row because they could not find services in their own communities. Still, recent counts have shown spikes in homelessness in L.A. neighborhoods farther and farther from downtown. Part of the 2016 count included an effort to link people to services. \u003ccite>(Steven Cuevas/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It's also deploying more teams to far-flung areas of the county where homeless people are harder to find, and expanding efforts to link people to services on the spot. But counts are still done mostly the old-fashioned way, says Wade Trimmer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Why can't we do the count on the smartphone or do it on a tablet?” wonders Trimmer. “It’s (still) pencil and paper and I have volunteers who are always surprised, who come back and say: 'This is how we do the count?' ”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>LAHSA’s Naomi Goldman says the count is starting to go high tech, though slowly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"We're always looking to refine and see what can we improve,\" says Goldman. \"We do have parts of the count that are using iPads and Survey Monkey, which will make some of the counting and some of the process a little more streamlined, a little bit faster.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Results of the 2016 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count should be available by spring.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "10844950 http://ww2.kqed.org/news/?p=10844950",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2016/01/28/the-important-imperfect-science-of-counting-l-a-s-homeless/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1006,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 27
},
"modified": 1466557200,
"excerpt": "The count is now done annually, one of several changes intended to make it more efficient and effective.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "The count is now done annually, one of several changes intended to make it more efficient and effective.",
"title": "The Important, Imperfect Science of Counting L.A.'s Homeless | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "The Important, Imperfect Science of Counting L.A.'s Homeless",
"datePublished": "2016-01-28T15:51:13-08:00",
"dateModified": "2016-06-21T18:00:00-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "the-important-imperfect-science-of-counting-l-a-s-homeless",
"status": "publish",
"nprStoryId": "464771844",
"path": "/news/10844950/the-important-imperfect-science-of-counting-l-a-s-homeless",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>For three days and nights, several thousand volunteers have fanned out across Los Angeles County trying to get an accurate tally of the county's immense homeless population. The Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count is considered the largest such effort in the nation. The count is now done annually, one of several changes intended to make it more efficient and effective.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Conducting a \u003ca href=\"http://www.theycountwillyou.org/\">homeless count \u003c/a>is not easy. Volunteers traipse into dry river bottoms, push through thick brush at public parks and cruise along dimly lit city streets.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cdiv class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__shortcodes__shortcodeWrapper'>\n \u003ciframe width='100%' height='166'\n scrolling='no' frameborder='no'\n src='https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/244233532&visual=true&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false'\n title='https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/244233532'>\n \u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/div>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Volunteer counters are discouraged from having too much interaction with people -- there’s a more comprehensive census-style survey that is done separately from the actual counting -- or from disturbing people holed up in makeshift outdoor shelters or vehicles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10847788\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 700px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/?attachment_id=10847788\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-10847788 size-full\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/homless-count-the-2015-homeless-count-demographic-survey-p1-normal.gif\" alt=\"The L.A. County annual homeless count includes a more comprehensive census-style survey portion that's done separately from the actual counting.\" width=\"700\" height=\"906\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The L.A. County annual homeless count includes a more comprehensive census-style survey portion that's done separately from the actual counting. \u003ccite>(Los Angeles County Homeless Authority)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>So volunteers, typically led by members of the \u003ca href=\"http://www.lahsa.org/\">Los Angeles County Homeless Authority’s \u003c/a>street outreach team, typically rely on their own intuition, instinct and internal extrapolation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s an imperfect science, to be sure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"The way the count is conducted, it is often done drive-by, right. You're in a car looking for people, but really the people are not to be found,” says Wade Trimmer, director of the \u003ca href=\"http://sfvrescuemission.org/\">San Fernando Rescue Mission\u003c/a>, about 30 miles northeast of downtown L.A.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trimmer says there’s been a significant spike in the San Fernando Valley’s homeless population. But he doesn’t think it’s accurately reflected in recent L.A. County homeless counts, partly because of how the count is done: mostly at night by relatively inexperienced volunteers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"If you look at downtown [Los Angeles], it makes a lot of sense to count at night because people are congregated downtown at night,\" says Trimmer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It doesn't make as much sense to me to do the count at night in the San Fernando Valley because people are not congregating on the street,\" he says. \"They’re finding a place to sleep, they're in the canyons or behind a building.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It can be frustrating, says Trimmer, because shelters and other services depend on the data collected during the count. It’s the number cited by local leaders to justify spending more or less of their own resources. It’s how the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development figures how much money to give L.A. County.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10848007\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessFoodLine-800x518.jpg\" alt=\"People wait for a meal outside the Midnight Mission on Skid Row. Roughly half of L.A. County’s homeless live in the city of Los Angeles, several thousand in shelters and on the streets of downtown’s Skid Row. \" width=\"800\" height=\"518\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-10848007\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessFoodLine-800x518.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessFoodLine-400x259.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessFoodLine-768x498.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessFoodLine-1440x933.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessFoodLine.jpg 1920w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessFoodLine-1180x765.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/HomelessFoodLine-960x622.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">People wait for a meal outside the Midnight Mission on Skid Row. Roughly half of L.A. County’s homeless live in the city of Los Angeles, several thousand in shelters and on the streets of downtown’s Skid Row. \u003ccite>(ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It helps us advocate for our fair share of funding,” explains L.A. County Homeless Authority spokeswoman Naomi Goldman. \"It's also data that helps us work with the community-based organizations and the homeless service providers to figure out where best to allocate the dollars so that'll do the most impact.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year's L.A. County homeless count recorded a 12 percent increase from 2013, or around 41,000 people living on the streets and in shelters across the region.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>More than half of them were living in the city of Los Angeles alone, with the greatest number concentrated in and around downtown’s Skid Row.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the raw numbers are just part of the picture. Just as important, says Todd Palmquist, is a survey portion that works a little like a census survey.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"Certain numbers of the homeless are actually interviewed,\" says Palmquist, former director of the San Gabriel Valley Consortium on Homelessness and a volunteer homeless count coordinator and trainer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The survey helps identify trends, such as more people living in cars, for example, or spikes in the number of kids or military veterans living on the street.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"It can really give a good idea of populations that are in need of help, and hopefully eventually be able to be used to identify and set up programs to prevent homelessness rather than just help people get out of homelessness,” says Palmquist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year L.A. County shifts to an annual count, a move it hopes results in more consistent data. The count used to be done every other year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10848013\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/SkidRowCartsGuys-800x521.jpg\" alt=\"Many homeless people come to Skid Row because they could not find services in their own communities. Still, recent counts have shown spikes in homelessness in L.A. neighborhoods farther and farther from downtown. Part of the 2016 count included an effort to link people to services.\" width=\"800\" height=\"521\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-10848013\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/SkidRowCartsGuys.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/SkidRowCartsGuys-400x261.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/01/SkidRowCartsGuys-768x500.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Many homeless people come to Skid Row because they could not find services in their own communities. Still, recent counts have shown spikes in homelessness in L.A. neighborhoods farther and farther from downtown. Part of the 2016 count included an effort to link people to services. \u003ccite>(Steven Cuevas/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It's also deploying more teams to far-flung areas of the county where homeless people are harder to find, and expanding efforts to link people to services on the spot. But counts are still done mostly the old-fashioned way, says Wade Trimmer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Why can't we do the count on the smartphone or do it on a tablet?” wonders Trimmer. “It’s (still) pencil and paper and I have volunteers who are always surprised, who come back and say: 'This is how we do the count?' ”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>LAHSA’s Naomi Goldman says the count is starting to go high tech, though slowly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\"We're always looking to refine and see what can we improve,\" says Goldman. \"We do have parts of the count that are using iPads and Survey Monkey, which will make some of the counting and some of the process a little more streamlined, a little bit faster.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Results of the 2016 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count should be available by spring.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/10844950/the-important-imperfect-science-of-counting-l-a-s-homeless",
"authors": [
"2600"
],
"programs": [
"news_72"
],
"series": [
"news_19491"
],
"categories": [
"news_6266",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_4020",
"news_4",
"news_17954",
"news_17286",
"news_17041"
],
"featImg": "news_10847938",
"label": "news_72"
},
"news_10736931": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_10736931",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "10736931",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1446102304000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news",
"term": 72
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1446102304,
"format": "standard",
"disqusTitle": "With Few Places Left to Go, Southland's Homeless Often End Up on L.A.'s Skid Row",
"title": "With Few Places Left to Go, Southland's Homeless Often End Up on L.A.'s Skid Row",
"headTitle": "SF Homeless Project | The California Report | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cp>Joe Parra is like a lot of guys you meet on Skid Row. He’s not from Los Angeles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was (on the streets) in the South Bay, like in the Torrance and Carson area,” says Parra. “And then it got harder and I had to stay in Bellflower.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All of those cities are a good 20 miles from Skid Row. They’re also woefully thin on homeless services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[soundcloud url=\"https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/230522157\" params=\"color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false\" width=\"100%\" height=\"166\" iframe=\"true\" /]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People like Parra might be able to get a hotel voucher for a couple nights or directions to a local food bank. But often they’ll get steered to Skid Row. And if they’re lucky, like Parra, they will eventually qualify for a space in one of its tightly packed \u003ca href=\"http://skidrow.org\">supportive housing apartments\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The services and that supportive network behind it just wasn’t happening in other areas outside Skid Row,” says Ryan Navales, an outreach coordinator at the \u003ca href=\"http://www.midnightmission.org/\">Midnight Mission\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The mission dishes out around 3,000 meals a day on Skid Row, and runs a temporary shelter and a host of drug and alcohol rehab programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Homelessness doesn’t have any city barriers,” says Navales. “And there’s 88 different mayors, I think, in L.A. County, and so there’s a real need for the services to be regionalized.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the critical mass of homeless services remains concentrated in Skid Row.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10737200\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-10737200\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkidRowCartsGuys-800x521.jpg\" alt=\"Many homeless people come to Skid Row because they could not find housing and services in their own communities.\" width=\"800\" height=\"521\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkidRowCartsGuys-800x521.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkidRowCartsGuys-400x260.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkidRowCartsGuys-1440x938.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkidRowCartsGuys.jpg 1920w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkidRowCartsGuys-1180x768.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkidRowCartsGuys-960x625.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Many homeless people come to Skid Row because they could not find housing and services in their own communities. \u003ccite>(Steven Cuevas/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>That’s left a lot of communities ill-prepared to deal with sudden spikes of homelessness. And when there are services, there can be resistance to expanding them for fear of becoming a magnet for more people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re throwing bait out right now for people to come here, and we’re attracting people,” says Redondo Beach Mayor Steve Aspel at a recent City Council meeting.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignright\">'We’re not trying to boot the homeless out...But it’s not the city of Redondo Beach’s responsibility to take care of the entire South Bay'\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>The city just formed a homelessness task force after this year’s L.A. County homeless count recorded a surge in Redondo Beach’s homeless population. Redondo Beach police say 911 calls involving homeless individuals are up some 400 percent since 2011.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The city is mulling a number of actions, from expanding existing services to cracking down on nuisance laws.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Aspel echoes a sentiment you hear a lot and not just in Redondo Beach: Homelessness is a problem exported from outside the city limits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re not like trying to boot the homeless out of town,” says Aspel. “But it’s not the city of Redondo Beach’s responsibility to take care of the entire South Bay.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When a person does end up on the street, it’s usually in the streets of where they live, in an area where they have ties to friends and family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Most homeless have three or four reasons to connect them to a community. They used to live there, they got family there, they work there, something that draws them to that community,\" says Todd Palmquist of the San Gabriel Valley Consortium on Homelessness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10737204\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-10737204\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkEncampment-800x487.jpg\" alt=\"One of Skid Row's dozens of sidewalk encampments.\" width=\"800\" height=\"487\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkEncampment-800x487.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkEncampment-400x244.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkEncampment-1440x877.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkEncampment.jpg 1920w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkEncampment-1180x718.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkEncampment-960x585.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">One of Skid Row's dozens of sidewalk encampments. \u003ccite>(Steven Cuevas/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Nobody likes to see the guy with the shopping cart sitting in front of McDonald's, but there's a reason why he or she is there. And there's a reason that maybe we can help get them to the next step rather than saying we just want to get rid of them,” says Palmquist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Worlds away from the fetid streets of Skid Row are the leafy, well-manicured avenues of Claremont, an affluent suburb about 45 minutes east of Los Angeles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s also home to a new public-private partnership that aims to house the chronically homeless in rental homes. Four men just moved into the pilot house about four months ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I looked into other homeless programs for indigent men all around Southern California,” says Marty, who asked that we not publish his last name.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[contextly_sidebar id=\"B98yAyTKAW5IazGbQOnG1lp4MzSaH2xW\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Marty shares the cozy three-bedroom house with three other men who, like him, were all living on the streets of the Claremont area. He says women and kids usually have priority when it comes to shelter and supportive housing like this. If you’re a single male, you can fall through the cracks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Basically, you can get food here and there,” says Marty. “The resources are gone by the time you try to get something, and that's what makes CHAP different. CHAP is geared toward helping the indigent person alone.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CHAP is the \u003ca href=\"http://www.chapclaremont.org/about.html\">Claremont Homeless Advocacy Program, \u003c/a>a volunteer group that aims to get homeless people into stable housing, get them job training, get them help staying sober and so on.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The idea of transitional housing, wraparound services is really a regional issue,” says \u003ca href=\"http://www.ci.claremont.ca.us/government/departments-divisions/human-services\">Claremont Director of Human Services Ann Turner\u003c/a>, who works closely with CHAP. “Financially it's a bigger obligation than any one single municipality can commit on their own. So how do we collectively work together?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cities like Claremont rely on county funding to sustain whatever services they have available.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, Los Angeles County supervisors pledged an additional $100 million for long-term housing and other aid across the region. The city of L.A., meanwhile, declared a homelessness “state of emergency,” an action that enables it to tap into alternative resources.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Up until that, there really has not been a unified statement saying here's what we want to do,” says Palmquist. “And I think as a result, other communities in the area would say, 'Well, it’s not a priority for them, why should we take it as a priority?' \"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Redondo Beach police lieutenant and homeless task force member Wayne Windman says it’s an attitude that is changing -- at least in his city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Please don’t for a second think this committee was thinking (that) we have to get rid of these people,” Windman says. “We have to deal with the issue. You have to get people into housing to get long-term services to get them out of these environments.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The challenge facing Redondo Beach and a host of other cities across the L.A. region is to provide enough of those services so that homeless individuals can get back on track and stay in their own hometowns.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "10736931 http://ww2.kqed.org/news/?p=10736931",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2015/10/29/with-few-places-left-to-turn-southlands-homeless-often-end-up-on-l-a-s-skid-row/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1184,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 34
},
"modified": 1466550860,
"excerpt": "Many of its denizens come from areas far beyond its borders, where services for the down and out are lacking.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "Many of its denizens come from areas far beyond its borders, where services for the down and out are lacking.",
"title": "With Few Places Left to Go, Southland's Homeless Often End Up on L.A.'s Skid Row | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "With Few Places Left to Go, Southland's Homeless Often End Up on L.A.'s Skid Row",
"datePublished": "2015-10-29T00:05:04-07:00",
"dateModified": "2016-06-21T16:14:20-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "with-few-places-left-to-turn-southlands-homeless-often-end-up-on-l-a-s-skid-row",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/news/10736931/with-few-places-left-to-turn-southlands-homeless-often-end-up-on-l-a-s-skid-row",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Joe Parra is like a lot of guys you meet on Skid Row. He’s not from Los Angeles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was (on the streets) in the South Bay, like in the Torrance and Carson area,” says Parra. “And then it got harder and I had to stay in Bellflower.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All of those cities are a good 20 miles from Skid Row. They’re also woefully thin on homeless services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cdiv class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__shortcodes__shortcodeWrapper'>\n \u003ciframe width='100%' height='166'\n scrolling='no' frameborder='no'\n src='https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/230522157&visual=true&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false'\n title='https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/230522157'>\n \u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/div>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People like Parra might be able to get a hotel voucher for a couple nights or directions to a local food bank. But often they’ll get steered to Skid Row. And if they’re lucky, like Parra, they will eventually qualify for a space in one of its tightly packed \u003ca href=\"http://skidrow.org\">supportive housing apartments\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The services and that supportive network behind it just wasn’t happening in other areas outside Skid Row,” says Ryan Navales, an outreach coordinator at the \u003ca href=\"http://www.midnightmission.org/\">Midnight Mission\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The mission dishes out around 3,000 meals a day on Skid Row, and runs a temporary shelter and a host of drug and alcohol rehab programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Homelessness doesn’t have any city barriers,” says Navales. “And there’s 88 different mayors, I think, in L.A. County, and so there’s a real need for the services to be regionalized.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the critical mass of homeless services remains concentrated in Skid Row.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10737200\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-10737200\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkidRowCartsGuys-800x521.jpg\" alt=\"Many homeless people come to Skid Row because they could not find housing and services in their own communities.\" width=\"800\" height=\"521\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkidRowCartsGuys-800x521.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkidRowCartsGuys-400x260.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkidRowCartsGuys-1440x938.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkidRowCartsGuys.jpg 1920w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkidRowCartsGuys-1180x768.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkidRowCartsGuys-960x625.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Many homeless people come to Skid Row because they could not find housing and services in their own communities. \u003ccite>(Steven Cuevas/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>That’s left a lot of communities ill-prepared to deal with sudden spikes of homelessness. And when there are services, there can be resistance to expanding them for fear of becoming a magnet for more people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re throwing bait out right now for people to come here, and we’re attracting people,” says Redondo Beach Mayor Steve Aspel at a recent City Council meeting.\u003c/p>\n\u003caside class=\"pullquote alignright\">'We’re not trying to boot the homeless out...But it’s not the city of Redondo Beach’s responsibility to take care of the entire South Bay'\u003c/aside>\n\u003cp>The city just formed a homelessness task force after this year’s L.A. County homeless count recorded a surge in Redondo Beach’s homeless population. Redondo Beach police say 911 calls involving homeless individuals are up some 400 percent since 2011.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The city is mulling a number of actions, from expanding existing services to cracking down on nuisance laws.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Aspel echoes a sentiment you hear a lot and not just in Redondo Beach: Homelessness is a problem exported from outside the city limits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re not like trying to boot the homeless out of town,” says Aspel. “But it’s not the city of Redondo Beach’s responsibility to take care of the entire South Bay.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When a person does end up on the street, it’s usually in the streets of where they live, in an area where they have ties to friends and family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Most homeless have three or four reasons to connect them to a community. They used to live there, they got family there, they work there, something that draws them to that community,\" says Todd Palmquist of the San Gabriel Valley Consortium on Homelessness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10737204\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-10737204\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkEncampment-800x487.jpg\" alt=\"One of Skid Row's dozens of sidewalk encampments.\" width=\"800\" height=\"487\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkEncampment-800x487.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkEncampment-400x244.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkEncampment-1440x877.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkEncampment.jpg 1920w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkEncampment-1180x718.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/10/SkEncampment-960x585.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">One of Skid Row's dozens of sidewalk encampments. \u003ccite>(Steven Cuevas/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Nobody likes to see the guy with the shopping cart sitting in front of McDonald's, but there's a reason why he or she is there. And there's a reason that maybe we can help get them to the next step rather than saying we just want to get rid of them,” says Palmquist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Worlds away from the fetid streets of Skid Row are the leafy, well-manicured avenues of Claremont, an affluent suburb about 45 minutes east of Los Angeles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s also home to a new public-private partnership that aims to house the chronically homeless in rental homes. Four men just moved into the pilot house about four months ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I looked into other homeless programs for indigent men all around Southern California,” says Marty, who asked that we not publish his last name.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Marty shares the cozy three-bedroom house with three other men who, like him, were all living on the streets of the Claremont area. He says women and kids usually have priority when it comes to shelter and supportive housing like this. If you’re a single male, you can fall through the cracks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Basically, you can get food here and there,” says Marty. “The resources are gone by the time you try to get something, and that's what makes CHAP different. CHAP is geared toward helping the indigent person alone.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CHAP is the \u003ca href=\"http://www.chapclaremont.org/about.html\">Claremont Homeless Advocacy Program, \u003c/a>a volunteer group that aims to get homeless people into stable housing, get them job training, get them help staying sober and so on.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The idea of transitional housing, wraparound services is really a regional issue,” says \u003ca href=\"http://www.ci.claremont.ca.us/government/departments-divisions/human-services\">Claremont Director of Human Services Ann Turner\u003c/a>, who works closely with CHAP. “Financially it's a bigger obligation than any one single municipality can commit on their own. So how do we collectively work together?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cities like Claremont rely on county funding to sustain whatever services they have available.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, Los Angeles County supervisors pledged an additional $100 million for long-term housing and other aid across the region. The city of L.A., meanwhile, declared a homelessness “state of emergency,” an action that enables it to tap into alternative resources.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Up until that, there really has not been a unified statement saying here's what we want to do,” says Palmquist. “And I think as a result, other communities in the area would say, 'Well, it’s not a priority for them, why should we take it as a priority?' \"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Redondo Beach police lieutenant and homeless task force member Wayne Windman says it’s an attitude that is changing -- at least in his city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Please don’t for a second think this committee was thinking (that) we have to get rid of these people,” Windman says. “We have to deal with the issue. You have to get people into housing to get long-term services to get them out of these environments.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The challenge facing Redondo Beach and a host of other cities across the L.A. region is to provide enough of those services so that homeless individuals can get back on track and stay in their own hometowns.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/10736931/with-few-places-left-to-turn-southlands-homeless-often-end-up-on-l-a-s-skid-row",
"authors": [
"2600"
],
"programs": [
"news_72"
],
"series": [
"news_19491"
],
"categories": [
"news_6266",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_4020",
"news_4",
"news_17954",
"news_17286",
"news_17041"
],
"featImg": "news_10737197",
"label": "news_72"
},
"news_10498134": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_10498134",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "10498134",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1429801238000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news",
"term": 72
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1429801238,
"format": "standard",
"disqusTitle": "Skid Row Land Rush: Now It's One of the Pricier Sections of L.A.",
"title": "Skid Row Land Rush: Now It's One of the Pricier Sections of L.A.",
"headTitle": "The California Report | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cp>If the barefooted woman pushing a shopping cart down the sidewalk or the guy brushing his teeth outside a tattered blue tent doesn’t tell you where you are, the enormous \"Welcome to Skid Row\" mural should.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[soundcloud url=\"https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/200650548\" params=\"color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false\" width=\"100%\" height=\"166\" iframe=\"true\" /]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s basically a city-limits sign, typical green with the white trim like ‘now entering such-and-such a place,’ ” explains \u003ca title=\"Jeff Page FB PAGE\" href=\"https://www.facebook.com/pages/General-Jeff/106807136010057\">Jeff Page\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And then on the left of the sign it says, ‘Population: too many’ because there’s definitely too many people living in this condition like this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Page is a Skid Row resident and activist behind a mural project along San Julian Street, a grimy back alley surrounded by homeless encampments, shelters and a host of other homeless services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Page says he’s trying to create a splash of Technicolor in an otherwise bleak environment that many people prefer to ignore.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is our effort to try to be recognized as a community,” says Page. “That way, people will see it more than just some transitional place for hobos and drug addicts, that we just have people who suffer from poverty.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So what’s spurring this quest for community recognition? Is it a crackdown by the cops? Stricter rules about sidewalk camping? No.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s $9 ice cream cones.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just a couple blocks from the mural is an upscale ice cream shop called Peddler’s Creamery. It’s the kind of place that embodies the changing face of L.A.’s historic core -- the neighborhood that rubs right up against the hard stubble of Skid Row.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I stop by the place with Mike Alvirez.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s organically grown, sustainably farmed ingredients that he uses in his ice cream by peddling on his bicycle,” says Alvirez, beaming at the site of the Rube Goldberg-esque bicycle-powered ice cream churn.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alvirez is chief of the \u003ca title=\"SKid Row Housing Trust\" href=\"http://skidrow.org/\">Skid Row Housing Trust\u003c/a>. The nonprofit owns around two dozen buildings, including the New Genesis, also home to Peddler’s Creamery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10498179\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-NewGen-exterior.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-10498179\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-NewGen-exterior-800x494.jpg\" alt=\"Exterior of the New Genesis apartments on the border of Skid Row and L.A.’s rapidly changing Historic Core. \" width=\"800\" height=\"494\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-NewGen-exterior-800x494.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-NewGen-exterior-400x247.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-NewGen-exterior-1440x890.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-NewGen-exterior-1180x729.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-NewGen-exterior-768x474.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-NewGen-exterior-320x198.jpg 320w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-NewGen-exterior.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Exterior of the New Genesis apartments on the border of Skid Row and L.A.’s rapidly changing Historic Core. \u003ccite>(Steven Cuevas KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The top floors of the New Genesis are reserved for low-income housing. And in a controversial move, the Trust created spaces on the ground floor for a couple of retailers that cater to the area’s more affluent newcomers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a double-edged sword. It does obviously create more pressure on homeless folks for those who want to see them get swept away,” says Alvirez.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“But at the same time I think many of the downtown residents who have chosen to live in downtown, understanding that there is this population in Skid Row, want to see something done about it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are a lot of homeless people and a lot of desperation packed into one 70-square-block sliver of Skid Row. One thing that’s woefully lacking is low-income housing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Skid Row has been losing cheap housing for years, as the neighborhood’s old residence hotels and apartment buildings were torn down or transformed into market-rate apartments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10498180\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-StarApts.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-10498180 size-medium\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-StarApts-800x528.jpg\" alt=\"HOUSING SK StarApts\" width=\"800\" height=\"528\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-StarApts-800x528.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-StarApts-400x264.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-StarApts-1440x950.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-StarApts-1180x779.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-StarApts-768x507.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-StarApts-320x211.jpg 320w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-StarApts.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Exterior of the modular and modernist Star Apartments, built two years ago in the heart of Skid Row\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>These days there are a little more than 3,000 low-income housing units in the Skid Row area, and more than double the number of people living on the streets on any given day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At one time, that kind of thing would have been enough to scare off the most hardened of urban dwellers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not so much anymore.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I live in, technically, the boundaries of Skid Row,” says real estate agent Blair Besten.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She chose to move to the Skid Row area when she took a job as director of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4NDKB_enUS581US581&q=Historic+Core+Business+Improvement+District%20\">Historic Core Business Improvement District, \u003c/a>an organization that represents downtown merchants, developers and residents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A great many of them come down here and find out maybe it’s a little bit of an edgier experience than they were expecting,” says Besten of many of the area’s new denizens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10498182\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-BukKeroWaits.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-10498182 size-medium\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-BukKeroWaits-800x526.jpg\" alt=\"HOUSING SK BukKeroWaits\" width=\"800\" height=\"526\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-BukKeroWaits-800x526.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-BukKeroWaits-400x263.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-BukKeroWaits-1440x947.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-BukKeroWaits-1180x776.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-BukKeroWaits-768x505.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-BukKeroWaits-320x211.jpg 320w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-BukKeroWaits.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The cultural ‘patron saints’ of Skid Row: Images of Tom Waits, Charles Bukowski and John Fante are stenciled on the wall of an alley behind the New Genesis apartments.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Because we do find ourselves adjunct to Skid Row, and we do have a considerable homeless population here.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Besten lives in a building on the edge of Skid Row.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She’s raising a family there, too. She does worry about the proliferation of sidewalk encampments, which the police essentially ignore. A number of ordinances and court rulings handcuff their ability to seize a person’s belongings. Besten is sympathetic yet frustrated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What is someone’s personal property really needs to be defined because five shopping carts filled with garbage and tents and tarps dedicated to one individual probably isn’t making their lives any better,” says Besten.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think people need to be integrated in their own communities rather than being pushed out of them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ryan Navales agrees that other cities need to do more to help the homeless in their own communities. Navales is a community outreach coordinator with the \u003ca title=\"Midnight Mission\" href=\"http://www.midnightmission.org/%20\">Midnight Mission\u003c/a>, one of Skid Row’s oldest and biggest shelters and service providers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Homelessness doesn’t have any city barriers, and there’s a real need for the services to be regionalized,” says Navales.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10498183\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-signage.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-10498183\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-signage-800x569.jpg\" alt=\"A sign on the window of the SRO Housing Corporation in Skid Row\" width=\"800\" height=\"569\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-signage-800x569.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-signage-400x285.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-signage-1440x1025.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-signage-1180x840.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-signage-768x546.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-signage-320x228.jpg 320w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-signage.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A sign on the window of the SRO Housing Corp. in Skid Row \u003ccite>(Steven Cuevas KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“You can’t have all that down here, it just stresses the system. There’s already a lack of housing, so that’s what you’re facing is a housing crisis.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The affordable housing apartments that currently do exist on Skid Row cannot be converted to market rates. A 2008 ordinance shields them from commercial development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The challenge is adding more affordable housing units to an area that’s becoming one of the hottest real estate markets in town.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have allowed this to persist for decades and it’s shameful,” says Alvirez. “It should have never gotten to this point. We can’t solve it unless we own it. This is our problem that we have to fix.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With competition for any slice of available real estate looking only to get fiercer, and homeless services slowly expanding in other places, Los Angeles could be facing what once seemed unimaginable: the gradual shrinking of Skid Row.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "10498134 http://ww2.kqed.org/news/?p=10498134",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2015/04/23/skid-row-land-rush-now-its-one-of-the-pricier-sections-of-l-a/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1165,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 38
},
"modified": 1429757348,
"excerpt": "More affordable housing is needed, as real estate market heats up in an edgy but changing part of town.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "More affordable housing is needed, as real estate market heats up in an edgy but changing part of town.",
"title": "Skid Row Land Rush: Now It's One of the Pricier Sections of L.A. | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Skid Row Land Rush: Now It's One of the Pricier Sections of L.A.",
"datePublished": "2015-04-23T08:00:38-07:00",
"dateModified": "2015-04-22T19:49:08-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "skid-row-land-rush-now-its-one-of-the-pricier-sections-of-l-a",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/news/10498134/skid-row-land-rush-now-its-one-of-the-pricier-sections-of-l-a",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>If the barefooted woman pushing a shopping cart down the sidewalk or the guy brushing his teeth outside a tattered blue tent doesn’t tell you where you are, the enormous \"Welcome to Skid Row\" mural should.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cdiv class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__shortcodes__shortcodeWrapper'>\n \u003ciframe width='100%' height='166'\n scrolling='no' frameborder='no'\n src='https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/200650548&visual=true&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false'\n title='https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/200650548'>\n \u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/div>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s basically a city-limits sign, typical green with the white trim like ‘now entering such-and-such a place,’ ” explains \u003ca title=\"Jeff Page FB PAGE\" href=\"https://www.facebook.com/pages/General-Jeff/106807136010057\">Jeff Page\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And then on the left of the sign it says, ‘Population: too many’ because there’s definitely too many people living in this condition like this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Page is a Skid Row resident and activist behind a mural project along San Julian Street, a grimy back alley surrounded by homeless encampments, shelters and a host of other homeless services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Page says he’s trying to create a splash of Technicolor in an otherwise bleak environment that many people prefer to ignore.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is our effort to try to be recognized as a community,” says Page. “That way, people will see it more than just some transitional place for hobos and drug addicts, that we just have people who suffer from poverty.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So what’s spurring this quest for community recognition? Is it a crackdown by the cops? Stricter rules about sidewalk camping? No.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s $9 ice cream cones.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Just a couple blocks from the mural is an upscale ice cream shop called Peddler’s Creamery. It’s the kind of place that embodies the changing face of L.A.’s historic core -- the neighborhood that rubs right up against the hard stubble of Skid Row.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I stop by the place with Mike Alvirez.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s organically grown, sustainably farmed ingredients that he uses in his ice cream by peddling on his bicycle,” says Alvirez, beaming at the site of the Rube Goldberg-esque bicycle-powered ice cream churn.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alvirez is chief of the \u003ca title=\"SKid Row Housing Trust\" href=\"http://skidrow.org/\">Skid Row Housing Trust\u003c/a>. The nonprofit owns around two dozen buildings, including the New Genesis, also home to Peddler’s Creamery.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10498179\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-NewGen-exterior.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-10498179\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-NewGen-exterior-800x494.jpg\" alt=\"Exterior of the New Genesis apartments on the border of Skid Row and L.A.’s rapidly changing Historic Core. \" width=\"800\" height=\"494\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-NewGen-exterior-800x494.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-NewGen-exterior-400x247.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-NewGen-exterior-1440x890.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-NewGen-exterior-1180x729.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-NewGen-exterior-768x474.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-NewGen-exterior-320x198.jpg 320w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-NewGen-exterior.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Exterior of the New Genesis apartments on the border of Skid Row and L.A.’s rapidly changing Historic Core. \u003ccite>(Steven Cuevas KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The top floors of the New Genesis are reserved for low-income housing. And in a controversial move, the Trust created spaces on the ground floor for a couple of retailers that cater to the area’s more affluent newcomers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a double-edged sword. It does obviously create more pressure on homeless folks for those who want to see them get swept away,” says Alvirez.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“But at the same time I think many of the downtown residents who have chosen to live in downtown, understanding that there is this population in Skid Row, want to see something done about it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are a lot of homeless people and a lot of desperation packed into one 70-square-block sliver of Skid Row. One thing that’s woefully lacking is low-income housing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Skid Row has been losing cheap housing for years, as the neighborhood’s old residence hotels and apartment buildings were torn down or transformed into market-rate apartments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10498180\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-StarApts.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-10498180 size-medium\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-StarApts-800x528.jpg\" alt=\"HOUSING SK StarApts\" width=\"800\" height=\"528\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-StarApts-800x528.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-StarApts-400x264.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-StarApts-1440x950.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-StarApts-1180x779.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-StarApts-768x507.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-StarApts-320x211.jpg 320w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-StarApts.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Exterior of the modular and modernist Star Apartments, built two years ago in the heart of Skid Row\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>These days there are a little more than 3,000 low-income housing units in the Skid Row area, and more than double the number of people living on the streets on any given day.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At one time, that kind of thing would have been enough to scare off the most hardened of urban dwellers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Not so much anymore.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I live in, technically, the boundaries of Skid Row,” says real estate agent Blair Besten.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She chose to move to the Skid Row area when she took a job as director of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4NDKB_enUS581US581&q=Historic+Core+Business+Improvement+District%20\">Historic Core Business Improvement District, \u003c/a>an organization that represents downtown merchants, developers and residents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A great many of them come down here and find out maybe it’s a little bit of an edgier experience than they were expecting,” says Besten of many of the area’s new denizens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10498182\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-BukKeroWaits.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"wp-image-10498182 size-medium\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-BukKeroWaits-800x526.jpg\" alt=\"HOUSING SK BukKeroWaits\" width=\"800\" height=\"526\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-BukKeroWaits-800x526.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-BukKeroWaits-400x263.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-BukKeroWaits-1440x947.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-BukKeroWaits-1180x776.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-BukKeroWaits-768x505.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-BukKeroWaits-320x211.jpg 320w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-BukKeroWaits.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The cultural ‘patron saints’ of Skid Row: Images of Tom Waits, Charles Bukowski and John Fante are stenciled on the wall of an alley behind the New Genesis apartments.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Because we do find ourselves adjunct to Skid Row, and we do have a considerable homeless population here.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Besten lives in a building on the edge of Skid Row.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She’s raising a family there, too. She does worry about the proliferation of sidewalk encampments, which the police essentially ignore. A number of ordinances and court rulings handcuff their ability to seize a person’s belongings. Besten is sympathetic yet frustrated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What is someone’s personal property really needs to be defined because five shopping carts filled with garbage and tents and tarps dedicated to one individual probably isn’t making their lives any better,” says Besten.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think people need to be integrated in their own communities rather than being pushed out of them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ryan Navales agrees that other cities need to do more to help the homeless in their own communities. Navales is a community outreach coordinator with the \u003ca title=\"Midnight Mission\" href=\"http://www.midnightmission.org/%20\">Midnight Mission\u003c/a>, one of Skid Row’s oldest and biggest shelters and service providers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Homelessness doesn’t have any city barriers, and there’s a real need for the services to be regionalized,” says Navales.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10498183\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-signage.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-10498183\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-signage-800x569.jpg\" alt=\"A sign on the window of the SRO Housing Corporation in Skid Row\" width=\"800\" height=\"569\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-signage-800x569.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-signage-400x285.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-signage-1440x1025.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-signage-1180x840.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-signage-768x546.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-signage-320x228.jpg 320w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/HOUSING-SK-signage.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A sign on the window of the SRO Housing Corp. in Skid Row \u003ccite>(Steven Cuevas KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“You can’t have all that down here, it just stresses the system. There’s already a lack of housing, so that’s what you’re facing is a housing crisis.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The affordable housing apartments that currently do exist on Skid Row cannot be converted to market rates. A 2008 ordinance shields them from commercial development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The challenge is adding more affordable housing units to an area that’s becoming one of the hottest real estate markets in town.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have allowed this to persist for decades and it’s shameful,” says Alvirez. “It should have never gotten to this point. We can’t solve it unless we own it. This is our problem that we have to fix.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With competition for any slice of available real estate looking only to get fiercer, and homeless services slowly expanding in other places, Los Angeles could be facing what once seemed unimaginable: the gradual shrinking of Skid Row.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/10498134/skid-row-land-rush-now-its-one-of-the-pricier-sections-of-l-a",
"authors": [
"2600"
],
"programs": [
"news_72"
],
"categories": [
"news_6266",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_3921",
"news_4613",
"news_4",
"news_17954",
"news_17286",
"news_17041"
],
"featImg": "news_10499482",
"label": "news_72"
},
"news_10479996": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "news_10479996",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "10479996",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1428422408000
]
},
"parent": 0,
"labelTerm": {
"site": "news",
"term": 72
},
"blocks": [],
"publishDate": 1428422408,
"format": "standard",
"disqusTitle": "Skid Row in Los Angeles: A City Within a City",
"title": "Skid Row in Los Angeles: A City Within a City",
"headTitle": "SF Homeless Project | The California Report | KQED News",
"content": "\u003cp>Skid Row can feel like a chaotic airport terminal -- people carting their possessions down the street and jaywalking in front of speeding cars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s always someone yelling or screaming, and there's often the howl of sirens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>About 60,000 homeless people live in the city of Los Angeles. But you might never know it until you start motoring south, past Disney Concert Hall, past City Hall, Pershing Square and newly renovated million-dollar condos.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s when you’ll begin the slow descent into Skid Row, arguably the largest concentration of homeless people in the U.S.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[soundcloud url=\"https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/199499800\" params=\"color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false\" width=\"100%\" height=\"166\" iframe=\"true\" /]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By some estimates, there are several thousand people living on the streets of Skid Row on any given night. Many are camped out in tents and other makeshift shelters on the sidewalk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The sidewalk at the intersection of San Pedro and Sixth, right outside the Midnight Mission, is jammed with tents, blue tarps and shopping carts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you look at it, that sidewalk is completely impassable to regular foot traffic. Every one of these tents really is a violation of the law,” says Ryan Navales, standing outside the entrance of the mission.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Navales landed on Skid Row several years ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He was a strung-out, homeless heroin addict with few options left but determined to get clean. He signed up for a rehab program at the Midnight Mission. He got sober. And he got work doing public relations for the 100-year-old shelter, rehab center and soup kitchen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10480650\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-tent-cluster1920.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-10480650\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-tent-cluster1920-800x466.jpg\" alt=\"A Skid Row sidewalk encampment at the southern edge of Skid Row, home to the city’s warehouse and art district. \" width=\"800\" height=\"466\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-tent-cluster1920-800x466.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-tent-cluster1920-400x233.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-tent-cluster1920-1440x839.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-tent-cluster1920-1180x688.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-tent-cluster1920-768x448.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-tent-cluster1920-320x187.jpg 320w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-tent-cluster1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Skid Row sidewalk encampment at the southern edge of Skid Row, home to the city’s warehouse and art district. \u003ccite>(Steven Cuevas/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We serve sometimes approaching 3,000 meals a day. So everybody comes down here. It used to be just a bunch of old drunken white guys,” Navales says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In the 1970s after the Vietnam War, it really changed demographically to different races and lots more drugs. But it’s still all the same services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is where it’s all centered,” he adds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And it’s no accident.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>L.A. developed a policy decades ago to purposely funnel the homeless away from downtown and other parts of the city and into a roughly 70-square block semi-industrial strip filled with residential hotels, fruit-packing warehouses and garment factories.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the homeless population swelled, so did the number of places to help them out. These days Skid Row is a constellation of shelters, food pantries and drug clinics, all in the midst of what can often feel like a combination open-air asylum and drug market.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10480657\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-passed-out1920.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-10480657\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-passed-out1920-800x515.jpg\" alt=\"An unidentified passed out on the sidewalk of a Skid Row back street.\" width=\"800\" height=\"515\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-passed-out1920-800x515.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-passed-out1920-400x258.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-passed-out1920-1440x928.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-passed-out1920-1180x760.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-passed-out1920-768x495.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-passed-out1920-320x206.jpg 320w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-passed-out1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An unidentified passed out on the sidewalk of a Skid Row back street. \u003ccite>(Steven Cuevas/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I mean, it’s hard to come down here and save people and get them into recovery when we can go right across to that tent and somebody is shooting dope because that’s what I would do,” Navales says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At a shelter around the corner, Carol Oakman says she was nearly blinded after being assaulted on the street.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was beaten by two women,\" Oakman says. \"The thieving, the racketeering, narcotics distribution, you name it, all of it. All of it happens right down here.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There have been plenty of efforts to “clean up” Skid Row. One of the latest under former Los Angeles Police Chief Bill Bratton gave cops the authority to break up encampments and confiscate belongings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The cluttered sidewalks, they argued, made it tougher to police.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A federal court judge blocked the policy. The sidewalk encampments came back and so did the tension between police and residents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Every day they hassle someone in their tent, every day,” Kelly Kunta says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Skid Row resident is among those still boiling over last month’s police-involved shooting death of an unarmed Cameroonian immigrant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10480659\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-Africa-memorial1920.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-10480659\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-Africa-memorial1920-800x600.jpg\" alt=\"A street memorial still stands outside the Union Rescue for the 43-year-old homeless Cameroonian immigrant shot and killed by LAPD officers during a scuffle on March 1, 2015. \" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-Africa-memorial1920-800x600.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-Africa-memorial1920-400x300.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-Africa-memorial1920-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-Africa-memorial1920-1180x885.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-Africa-memorial1920-768x576.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-Africa-memorial1920-320x240.jpg 320w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-Africa-memorial1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A street memorial still stands outside the Union Rescue for the 43-year-old homeless Cameroonian immigrant shot and killed by LAPD officers during a scuffle on March 1, 2015. \u003ccite>(Steven Cuevas/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The 43-year-old homeless man was shot after fighting with LAPD cops outside a tent. He allegedly grabbed an officer’s revolver.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The police got nothing better to do. There all kinds of crimes going on in this country and they hassle a man and many of these nationalities down here (living in) a tent,” said Kunta during a recent protest at the site of the shooting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gary Montez heard the gunshots that morning, too. He stays in a shelter just down the block. Montez sides with the cops on this one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He hands over a creased, homemade business card; \"Minister Gary Montez, Law Enforcement.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Montez earns a little cash as an on-call security guard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Law enforcement is always going to be wrong when people don’t want to respect commands, and when they’re hyped up on drugs,” Montez says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The outdoor encampments presents one of Skid Row’s biggest conundrums: bring down the tents or, says Navales, essentially endorse the seedy sprawl of sidewalk camping.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Look, there will always be people who live on the fringes of society and need assistance. That’s just the way it is,” Navales says. “But should we help enable that by legislating opportunities for people to live on the sidewalks as if that’s the ultimate goal?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s definitely \u003cem>not\u003c/em> a solution, says Joe Parra.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After falling on hard times, he lived out of a tent for a while.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He’s from the Torrance area just south of L.A. He’d never set foot on Skid Row until a couple years ago after falling on hard times. A friend let him pitch a tent in his backyard at first.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He saw what I was going through and he goes, 'Hey, let me talk to my wife. That way you’re not exposed to ruffians and such.' And I said, 'Man, that’d be great,' ” Parra says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His voice trails off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Sorry, sorry,” he says, choking back emotion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10480661\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-wall-sitting1920.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-10480661\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-wall-sitting1920-800x565.jpg\" alt=\"There are thousands of people living in Skid Row shelters and on the street on any given day\" width=\"800\" height=\"565\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-wall-sitting1920-800x565.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-wall-sitting1920-400x282.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-wall-sitting1920-1440x1016.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-wall-sitting1920-1180x833.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-wall-sitting1920-768x542.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-wall-sitting1920-320x226.jpg 320w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-wall-sitting1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">There are thousands of people living in Skid Row shelters and on the street on any given day \u003ccite>(Steven Cuevas/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Parra wants to forget those days. Now he lives in a small but modern studio flat at the Star Apartments, a newly built supportive housing complex on Skid Row.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When we speak, Parra had just gotten back from a yoga session downstairs in the courtyard. He pauses to put an old acoustic guitar and a backpack in his apartment. He walks back out into the sunlight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Parra was among the first residents at the Star Apartments..\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To get here took patience and perseverance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The only hope is for those who have enough self-confidence and care for themselves enough to lift themselves up,” Parra says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Instead of just setting a tent down on the sidewalk saying, ‘This is my home from now on,' they should only look at it as temporary until you get another rung higher on the ladder.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With its sunny courtyards, community garden and yoga classes, the Star is pretty high up on that ladder.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many homeless advocates say more housing like the Star is the best hope for Skid Row. But the quest to build more is running right up against a new wave of upscale downtown development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They have a marketing scheme to have people to buy into this newer and shinier up-and-coming downtown Los Angeles,” says Skid Row activist and resident-general Jeff Page.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Well, we want new and shiny in Skid Row, too!”\u003c/p>\n\n",
"disqusIdentifier": "10479996 http://ww2.kqed.org/news/?p=10479996",
"disqusUrl": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2015/04/07/skid-row-in-los-angeles-a-city-within-a-city/",
"stats": {
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"hasAudio": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"wordCount": 1340,
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"paragraphCount": 50
},
"modified": 1466558060,
"excerpt": "By some estimates, several thousand people are living on the streets of Skid Row on any given night.",
"headData": {
"twImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twDescription": "",
"description": "By some estimates, several thousand people are living on the streets of Skid Row on any given night.",
"title": "Skid Row in Los Angeles: A City Within a City | KQED",
"ogDescription": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "NewsArticle",
"headline": "Skid Row in Los Angeles: A City Within a City",
"datePublished": "2015-04-07T09:00:08-07:00",
"dateModified": "2016-06-21T18:14:20-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"isAccessibleForFree": "True",
"publisher": {
"@type": "NewsMediaOrganization",
"@id": "https://www.kqed.org/#organization",
"name": "KQED",
"logo": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"url": "https://www.kqed.org",
"sameAs": [
"https://www.facebook.com/KQED",
"https://twitter.com/KQED",
"https://www.instagram.com/kqed/",
"https://www.tiktok.com/@kqedofficial",
"https://www.linkedin.com/company/kqed",
"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeC0IOo7i1P_61zVUWbJ4nw"
]
}
}
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "skid-row-in-los-angeles-a-city-within-a-city",
"status": "publish",
"path": "/news/10479996/skid-row-in-los-angeles-a-city-within-a-city",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Skid Row can feel like a chaotic airport terminal -- people carting their possessions down the street and jaywalking in front of speeding cars.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s always someone yelling or screaming, and there's often the howl of sirens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>About 60,000 homeless people live in the city of Los Angeles. But you might never know it until you start motoring south, past Disney Concert Hall, past City Hall, Pershing Square and newly renovated million-dollar condos.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s when you’ll begin the slow descent into Skid Row, arguably the largest concentration of homeless people in the U.S.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cdiv class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__shortcodes__shortcodeWrapper'>\n \u003ciframe width='100%' height='166'\n scrolling='no' frameborder='no'\n src='https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/199499800&visual=true&color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false'\n title='https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/199499800'>\n \u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/div>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By some estimates, there are several thousand people living on the streets of Skid Row on any given night. Many are camped out in tents and other makeshift shelters on the sidewalk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The sidewalk at the intersection of San Pedro and Sixth, right outside the Midnight Mission, is jammed with tents, blue tarps and shopping carts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If you look at it, that sidewalk is completely impassable to regular foot traffic. Every one of these tents really is a violation of the law,” says Ryan Navales, standing outside the entrance of the mission.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Navales landed on Skid Row several years ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He was a strung-out, homeless heroin addict with few options left but determined to get clean. He signed up for a rehab program at the Midnight Mission. He got sober. And he got work doing public relations for the 100-year-old shelter, rehab center and soup kitchen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10480650\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-tent-cluster1920.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-10480650\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-tent-cluster1920-800x466.jpg\" alt=\"A Skid Row sidewalk encampment at the southern edge of Skid Row, home to the city’s warehouse and art district. \" width=\"800\" height=\"466\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-tent-cluster1920-800x466.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-tent-cluster1920-400x233.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-tent-cluster1920-1440x839.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-tent-cluster1920-1180x688.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-tent-cluster1920-768x448.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-tent-cluster1920-320x187.jpg 320w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-tent-cluster1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Skid Row sidewalk encampment at the southern edge of Skid Row, home to the city’s warehouse and art district. \u003ccite>(Steven Cuevas/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We serve sometimes approaching 3,000 meals a day. So everybody comes down here. It used to be just a bunch of old drunken white guys,” Navales says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In the 1970s after the Vietnam War, it really changed demographically to different races and lots more drugs. But it’s still all the same services.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is where it’s all centered,” he adds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And it’s no accident.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>L.A. developed a policy decades ago to purposely funnel the homeless away from downtown and other parts of the city and into a roughly 70-square block semi-industrial strip filled with residential hotels, fruit-packing warehouses and garment factories.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the homeless population swelled, so did the number of places to help them out. These days Skid Row is a constellation of shelters, food pantries and drug clinics, all in the midst of what can often feel like a combination open-air asylum and drug market.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10480657\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-passed-out1920.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-10480657\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-passed-out1920-800x515.jpg\" alt=\"An unidentified passed out on the sidewalk of a Skid Row back street.\" width=\"800\" height=\"515\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-passed-out1920-800x515.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-passed-out1920-400x258.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-passed-out1920-1440x928.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-passed-out1920-1180x760.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-passed-out1920-768x495.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-passed-out1920-320x206.jpg 320w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-passed-out1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An unidentified passed out on the sidewalk of a Skid Row back street. \u003ccite>(Steven Cuevas/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I mean, it’s hard to come down here and save people and get them into recovery when we can go right across to that tent and somebody is shooting dope because that’s what I would do,” Navales says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At a shelter around the corner, Carol Oakman says she was nearly blinded after being assaulted on the street.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was beaten by two women,\" Oakman says. \"The thieving, the racketeering, narcotics distribution, you name it, all of it. All of it happens right down here.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There have been plenty of efforts to “clean up” Skid Row. One of the latest under former Los Angeles Police Chief Bill Bratton gave cops the authority to break up encampments and confiscate belongings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The cluttered sidewalks, they argued, made it tougher to police.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A federal court judge blocked the policy. The sidewalk encampments came back and so did the tension between police and residents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Every day they hassle someone in their tent, every day,” Kelly Kunta says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Skid Row resident is among those still boiling over last month’s police-involved shooting death of an unarmed Cameroonian immigrant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10480659\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-Africa-memorial1920.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-10480659\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-Africa-memorial1920-800x600.jpg\" alt=\"A street memorial still stands outside the Union Rescue for the 43-year-old homeless Cameroonian immigrant shot and killed by LAPD officers during a scuffle on March 1, 2015. \" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-Africa-memorial1920-800x600.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-Africa-memorial1920-400x300.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-Africa-memorial1920-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-Africa-memorial1920-1180x885.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-Africa-memorial1920-768x576.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-Africa-memorial1920-320x240.jpg 320w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-Africa-memorial1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A street memorial still stands outside the Union Rescue for the 43-year-old homeless Cameroonian immigrant shot and killed by LAPD officers during a scuffle on March 1, 2015. \u003ccite>(Steven Cuevas/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The 43-year-old homeless man was shot after fighting with LAPD cops outside a tent. He allegedly grabbed an officer’s revolver.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The police got nothing better to do. There all kinds of crimes going on in this country and they hassle a man and many of these nationalities down here (living in) a tent,” said Kunta during a recent protest at the site of the shooting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gary Montez heard the gunshots that morning, too. He stays in a shelter just down the block. Montez sides with the cops on this one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He hands over a creased, homemade business card; \"Minister Gary Montez, Law Enforcement.\"\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Montez earns a little cash as an on-call security guard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Law enforcement is always going to be wrong when people don’t want to respect commands, and when they’re hyped up on drugs,” Montez says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The outdoor encampments presents one of Skid Row’s biggest conundrums: bring down the tents or, says Navales, essentially endorse the seedy sprawl of sidewalk camping.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Look, there will always be people who live on the fringes of society and need assistance. That’s just the way it is,” Navales says. “But should we help enable that by legislating opportunities for people to live on the sidewalks as if that’s the ultimate goal?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s definitely \u003cem>not\u003c/em> a solution, says Joe Parra.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After falling on hard times, he lived out of a tent for a while.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He’s from the Torrance area just south of L.A. He’d never set foot on Skid Row until a couple years ago after falling on hard times. A friend let him pitch a tent in his backyard at first.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He saw what I was going through and he goes, 'Hey, let me talk to my wife. That way you’re not exposed to ruffians and such.' And I said, 'Man, that’d be great,' ” Parra says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His voice trails off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Sorry, sorry,” he says, choking back emotion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_10480661\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-wall-sitting1920.jpg\">\u003cimg class=\"size-medium wp-image-10480661\" src=\"http://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-wall-sitting1920-800x565.jpg\" alt=\"There are thousands of people living in Skid Row shelters and on the street on any given day\" width=\"800\" height=\"565\" srcset=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-wall-sitting1920-800x565.jpg 800w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-wall-sitting1920-400x282.jpg 400w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-wall-sitting1920-1440x1016.jpg 1440w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-wall-sitting1920-1180x833.jpg 1180w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-wall-sitting1920-768x542.jpg 768w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-wall-sitting1920-320x226.jpg 320w, https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2015/04/SR-bw-wall-sitting1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">There are thousands of people living in Skid Row shelters and on the street on any given day \u003ccite>(Steven Cuevas/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Parra wants to forget those days. Now he lives in a small but modern studio flat at the Star Apartments, a newly built supportive housing complex on Skid Row.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When we speak, Parra had just gotten back from a yoga session downstairs in the courtyard. He pauses to put an old acoustic guitar and a backpack in his apartment. He walks back out into the sunlight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Parra was among the first residents at the Star Apartments..\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To get here took patience and perseverance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The only hope is for those who have enough self-confidence and care for themselves enough to lift themselves up,” Parra says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Instead of just setting a tent down on the sidewalk saying, ‘This is my home from now on,' they should only look at it as temporary until you get another rung higher on the ladder.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With its sunny courtyards, community garden and yoga classes, the Star is pretty high up on that ladder.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many homeless advocates say more housing like the Star is the best hope for Skid Row. But the quest to build more is running right up against a new wave of upscale downtown development.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They have a marketing scheme to have people to buy into this newer and shinier up-and-coming downtown Los Angeles,” says Skid Row activist and resident-general Jeff Page.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Well, we want new and shiny in Skid Row, too!”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/news/10479996/skid-row-in-los-angeles-a-city-within-a-city",
"authors": [
"2600"
],
"programs": [
"news_72"
],
"series": [
"news_19491"
],
"categories": [
"news_6266",
"news_8"
],
"tags": [
"news_4020",
"news_4",
"news_17954",
"news_17286"
],
"featImg": "news_10480651",
"label": "news_72"
}
},
"podcastsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"podcasts": {}
},
"radioProgramsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"radioPrograms": {}
},
"programsReducer": {
"all-things-considered": {
"id": "all-things-considered",
"title": "All Things Considered",
"info": "Every weekday, \u003cem>All Things Considered\u003c/em> hosts Robert Siegel, Audie Cornish, Ari Shapiro, and Kelly McEvers present the program's trademark mix of news, interviews, commentaries, reviews, and offbeat features. Michel Martin hosts on the weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 1pm-2pm, 4:30pm-6:30pm\u003cbr />SAT-SUN 5pm-6pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/All-Things-Considered-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/all-things-considered/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/all-things-considered"
},
"american-suburb-podcast": {
"id": "american-suburb-podcast",
"title": "American Suburb: The Podcast",
"tagline": "The flip side of gentrification, told through one town",
"info": "Gentrification is changing cities across America, forcing people from neighborhoods they have long called home. Call them the displaced. Now those priced out of the Bay Area are looking for a better life in an unlikely place. American Suburb follows this migration to one California town along the Delta, 45 miles from San Francisco. But is this once sleepy suburb ready for them?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/American-Suburb-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 19
},
"link": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/RBrW",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=1287748328",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/American-Suburb-p1086805/",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/feed/podcast",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMzMDExODgxNjA5"
}
},
"baycurious": {
"id": "baycurious",
"title": "Bay Curious",
"tagline": "Exploring the Bay Area, one question at a time",
"info": "KQED’s new podcast, Bay Curious, gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we’ll do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what Bay Curious investigates. And you join us on the journey to find the answers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bay-Curious-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Bay Curious",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/baycurious",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 3
},
"link": "/podcasts/baycurious",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bay-curious/id1172473406",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/500557090/bay-curious",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/category/bay-curious-podcast/feed/podcast",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9a90d476-aa04-455d-9a4c-0871ed6216d4/bay-curious",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/bay-curious",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6O76IdmhixfijmhTZLIJ8k"
}
},
"bbc-world-service": {
"id": "bbc-world-service",
"title": "BBC World Service",
"info": "The day's top stories from BBC News compiled twice daily in the week, once at weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9pm-10pm, TUE-FRI 1am-2am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BBC-World-Service-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_world_service",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "BBC World Service"
},
"link": "/radio/program/bbc-world-service",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/global-news-podcast/id135067274?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/BBC-World-Service-p455581/",
"rss": "https://podcasts.files.bbci.co.uk/p02nq0gn.rss"
}
},
"californiareport": {
"id": "californiareport",
"title": "The California Report",
"tagline": "California, day by day",
"info": "KQED’s statewide radio news program providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareport",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 8
},
"link": "/californiareport",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-the-california-report/id79681292",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/26099305-72af-4542-9dde-ac1807fe36d5/kqed-s-the-california-report",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432285393/the-california-report",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-the-california-report-podcast-8838",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcram/feed/podcast"
}
},
"californiareportmagazine": {
"id": "californiareportmagazine",
"title": "The California Report Magazine",
"tagline": "Your state, your stories",
"info": "Every week, The California Report Magazine takes you on a road trip for the ears: to visit the places and meet the people who make California unique. The in-depth storytelling podcast from the California Report.",
"airtime": "FRI 4:30pm-5pm, 6:30pm-7pm, 11pm-11:30pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Magazine-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report Magazine",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareportmagazine",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 10
},
"link": "/californiareportmagazine",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-california-report-magazine/id1314750545",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM3NjkwNjk1OTAz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/564733126/the-california-report-magazine",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-california-report-magazine",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcrmag/feed/podcast"
}
},
"city-arts": {
"id": "city-arts",
"title": "City Arts & Lectures",
"info": "A one-hour radio program to hear celebrated writers, artists and thinkers address contemporary ideas and values, often discussing the creative process. Please note: tapes or transcripts are not available",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/cityartsandlecture-300x300.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.cityarts.net/",
"airtime": "SUN 1pm-2pm, TUE 10pm, WED 1am",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
"subscribe": {
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/City-Arts-and-Lectures-p692/",
"rss": "https://www.cityarts.net/feed/"
}
},
"closealltabs": {
"id": "closealltabs",
"title": "Close All Tabs",
"tagline": "Your irreverent guide to the trends redefining our world",
"info": "Close All Tabs breaks down how digital culture shapes our world through thoughtful insights and irreverent humor.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/CAT_2_Tile-scaled.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Close All Tabs",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 1
},
"link": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/close-all-tabs/id214663465",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC6993880386",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/92d9d4ac-67a3-4eed-b10a-fb45d45b1ef2/close-all-tabs",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6LAJFHnGK1pYXYzv6SIol6?si=deb0cae19813417c"
}
},
"code-switch-life-kit": {
"id": "code-switch-life-kit",
"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
"airtime": "SUN 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Code-Switch-Life-Kit-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/code-switch-life-kit",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/1112190608?mt=2&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnByLm9yZy9yc3MvcG9kY2FzdC5waHA_aWQ9NTEwMzEy",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3bExJ9JQpkwNhoHvaIIuyV",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510312/podcast.xml"
}
},
"commonwealth-club": {
"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
"airtime": "THU 10pm, FRI 1am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.commonwealthclub.org/podcasts",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/commonwealth-club-of-california-podcast/id976334034?mt=2",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Commonwealth-Club-of-California-p1060/"
}
},
"forum": {
"id": "forum",
"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/forum",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 9
},
"link": "/forum",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-forum/id73329719",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432307980/forum",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-forum-podcast",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9557381633"
}
},
"freakonomics-radio": {
"id": "freakonomics-radio",
"title": "Freakonomics Radio",
"info": "Freakonomics Radio is a one-hour award-winning podcast and public-radio project hosted by Stephen Dubner, with co-author Steve Levitt as a regular guest. It is produced in partnership with WNYC.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/freakonomicsRadio.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://freakonomics.com/",
"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/freakonomicsradio"
}
},
"fresh-air": {
"id": "fresh-air",
"title": "Fresh Air",
"info": "Hosted by Terry Gross, \u003cem>Fresh Air from WHYY\u003c/em> is the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues. One of public radio's most popular programs, Fresh Air features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Fresh-Air-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/fresh-air",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Fresh-Air-p17/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/381444908/podcast.xml"
}
},
"here-and-now": {
"id": "here-and-now",
"title": "Here & Now",
"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
"airtime": "MON-THU 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Here-And-Now-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/here-and-now",
"subsdcribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=426698661",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Here--Now-p211/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510051/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hidden-brain": {
"id": "hidden-brain",
"title": "Hidden Brain",
"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/hiddenbrain.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/423302056/hidden-brain",
"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "NPR"
},
"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hidden-brain/id1028908750?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Science-Podcasts/Hidden-Brain-p787503/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510308/podcast.xml"
}
},
"how-i-built-this": {
"id": "how-i-built-this",
"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/howIBuiltThis.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this",
"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/3zxy",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/How-I-Built-This-p910896/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510313/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
"title": "Hyphenación",
"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
"imageAlt": "KQED Hyphenación",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 15
},
"link": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hyphenaci%C3%B3n/id1191591838",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/2p3Fifq96nw9BPcmFdIq0o?si=39209f7b25774f38",
"youtube": "https://www.youtube.com/c/kqedarts",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6c3dd23c-93fb-4aab-97ba-1725fa6315f1/hyphenaci%C3%B3n",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC2275451163"
}
},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/790253322/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1492194549",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/jerrybrown/feed/podcast/",
"tuneIn": "http://tun.in/pjGcK",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/54C1dmuyFyKMFttY6X2j6r?si=K8SgRCoISNK6ZbjpXrX5-w",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/44420f75-3b0e-4301-ab3b-16da6b09e543/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown"
}
},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/xtTd",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Latino-USA-p621/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201853034&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/APM-Marketplace-p88/",
"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
}
},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Masters-of-Scale-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "http://mastersofscale.app.link/",
"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mindshift-podcast/id1078765985",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/464615685/mind-shift-podcast",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/stories-teachers-share",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0MxSpNYZKNprFLCl7eEtyx"
}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "On Our Watch from NPR and KQED",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1567098962",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/onourwatch",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0OLWoyizopu6tY1XiuX70x",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-Our-Watch-p1436229/",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/show/on-our-watch",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510360/podcast.xml"
}
},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
"info": "Analysis, background reports and updates from the PBS NewsHour putting today's news in context.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PBS-News-Hour-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "pbs"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pbs-newshour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pbs-newshour-full-show/id394432287?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
"rss": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/feeds/rss/podcasts/show"
}
},
"perspectives": {
"id": "perspectives",
"title": "Perspectives",
"tagline": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991",
"info": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Perspectives_Tile_Final.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Perspectives",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/perspectives/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 14
},
"link": "/perspectives",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id73801135",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432309616/perspectives",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/perspectives/category/perspectives/feed/",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93dzIua3FlZC5vcmcvcGVyc3BlY3RpdmVzL2NhdGVnb3J5L3BlcnNwZWN0aXZlcy9mZWVkLw"
}
},
"planet-money": {
"id": "planet-money",
"title": "Planet Money",
"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/sections/money/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/planet-money",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/M4f5",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/planet-money/id290783428?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Business--Economics-Podcasts/Planet-Money-p164680/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510289/podcast.xml"
}
},
"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Political-Breakdown-2024-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Political Breakdown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 5
},
"link": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/political-breakdown/id1327641087",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0c2d153-ad36-4c8d-901d-f1da6a724824/political-breakdown",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/572155894/political-breakdown",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/political-breakdown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/07RVyIjIdk2WDuVehvBMoN",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/political-breakdown/feed/podcast"
}
},
"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.possible.fm/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Possible"
},
"link": "/radio/program/possible",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/possible/id1677184070",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/730YpdUSNlMyPQwNnyjp4k"
}
},
"pri-the-world": {
"id": "pri-the-world",
"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pri.org/programs/the-world",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "PRI"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pri-the-world",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pris-the-world-latest-edition/id278196007?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/PRIs-The-World-p24/",
"rss": "http://feeds.feedburner.com/pri/theworld"
}
},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
"airtime": "SUN 12am-1am, SAT 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/radiolab1400.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/radiolab/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/radiolab",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/radiolab/id152249110?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/RadioLab-p68032/",
"rss": "https://feeds.wnyc.org/radiolab"
}
},
"reveal": {
"id": "reveal",
"title": "Reveal",
"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
"airtime": "SAT 4pm-5pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/reveal300px.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/reveal",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/reveal/id886009669",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Reveal-p679597/",
"rss": "http://feeds.revealradio.org/revealpodcast"
}
},
"rightnowish": {
"id": "rightnowish",
"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rightnowish-Podcast-Tile-500x500-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Rightnowish with Pendarvis Harshaw",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 16
},
"link": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/721590300/rightnowish",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/programs/rightnowish/feed/podcast",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rightnowish/id1482187648",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/rightnowish",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMxMjU5MTY3NDc4",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/7kEJuafTzTVan7B78ttz1I"
}
},
"science-friday": {
"id": "science-friday",
"title": "Science Friday",
"info": "Science Friday is a weekly science talk show, broadcast live over public radio stations nationwide. Each week, the show focuses on science topics that are in the news and tries to bring an educated, balanced discussion to bear on the scientific issues at hand. Panels of expert guests join host Ira Flatow, a veteran science journalist, to discuss science and to take questions from listeners during the call-in portion of the program.",
"airtime": "FRI 11am-1pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Science-Friday-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/science-friday",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/science-friday",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=73329284&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Science-Friday-p394/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/science-friday"
}
},
"snap-judgment": {
"id": "snap-judgment",
"title": "Snap Judgment",
"tagline": "Real stories with killer beats",
"info": "The Snap Judgment radio show and podcast mixes real stories with killer beats to produce cinematic, dramatic radio. Snap's musical brand of storytelling dares listeners to see the world through the eyes of another. This is storytelling... with a BEAT!! Snap first aired on public radio stations nationwide in July 2010. Today, Snap Judgment airs on over 450 public radio stations and is brought to the airwaves by KQED & PRX.",
"airtime": "SAT 1pm-2pm, 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Snap-Judgment-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Snap Judgment",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 4
},
"link": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/snap-judgment/id283657561",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/449018144/snap-judgment",
"stitcher": "https://www.pandora.com/podcast/snap-judgment/PC:241?source=stitcher-sunset",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3Cct7ZWmxHNAtLgBTqjC5v",
"rss": "https://snap.feed.snapjudgment.org/"
}
},
"soldout": {
"id": "soldout",
"title": "SOLD OUT: Rethinking Housing in America",
"tagline": "A new future for housing",
"info": "Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Sold-Out-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/soldout",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 13
},
"link": "/podcasts/soldout",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/911586047/s-o-l-d-o-u-t-a-new-future-for-housing",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/introducing-sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america/id1531354937",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/soldout",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/38dTBSk2ISFoPiyYNoKn1X",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america",
"tunein": "https://tunein.com/radio/SOLD-OUT-Rethinking-Housing-in-America-p1365871/"
}
},
"spooked": {
"id": "spooked",
"title": "Spooked",
"tagline": "True-life supernatural stories",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Spooked-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Spooked",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 7
},
"link": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spooked/id1279361017",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/549547848/snap-judgment-presents-spooked",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/76571Rfl3m7PLJQZKQIGCT",
"rss": "https://feeds.simplecast.com/TBotaapn"
}
},
"tech-nation": {
"id": "tech-nation",
"title": "Tech Nation Radio Podcast",
"info": "Tech Nation is a weekly public radio program, hosted by Dr. Moira Gunn. Founded in 1993, it has grown from a simple interview show to a multi-faceted production, featuring conversations with noted technology and science leaders, and a weekly science and technology-related commentary.",
"airtime": "FRI 10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Tech-Nation-Radio-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://technation.podomatic.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "Tech Nation Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tech-nation",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://technation.podomatic.com/rss2.xml"
}
},
"ted-radio-hour": {
"id": "ted-radio-hour",
"title": "TED Radio Hour",
"info": "The TED Radio Hour is a journey through fascinating ideas, astonishing inventions, fresh approaches to old problems, and new ways to think and create.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm, SAT 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/tedRadioHour.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/?showDate=2018-06-22",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/ted-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/8vsS",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=523121474&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/TED-Radio-Hour-p418021/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510298/podcast.xml"
}
},
"thebay": {
"id": "thebay",
"title": "The Bay",
"tagline": "Local news to keep you rooted",
"info": "Host Devin Katayama walks you through the biggest story of the day with reporters and newsmakers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Bay-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Bay",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/thebay",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 2
},
"link": "/podcasts/thebay",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bay/id1350043452",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d800ea4c-7a2c-42f2-b861-edaf78a5db0b/the-bay",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/586725995/the-bay",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-bay",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/4BIKBKIujizLHlIlBNaAqQ",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC8259786327"
}
},
"thelatest": {
"id": "thelatest",
"title": "The Latest",
"tagline": "Trusted local news in real time",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/The-Latest-2025-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Latest",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/thelatest",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 6
},
"link": "/thelatest",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-latest-from-kqed/id1197721799",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/1257949365/the-latest-from-k-q-e-d",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/5KIIXMgM9GTi5AepwOYvIZ?si=bd3053fec7244dba",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9137121918"
}
},
"theleap": {
"id": "theleap",
"title": "The Leap",
"tagline": "What if you closed your eyes, and jumped?",
"info": "Stories about people making dramatic, risky changes, told by award-winning public radio reporter Judy Campbell.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Leap-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Leap",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/theleap",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 17
},
"link": "/podcasts/theleap",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leap/id1046668171",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/447248267/the-leap",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-leap",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3sSlVHHzU0ytLwuGs1SD1U",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/programs/the-leap/feed/podcast"
}
},
"the-moth-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-moth-radio-hour",
"title": "The Moth Radio Hour",
"info": "Since its launch in 1997, The Moth has presented thousands of true stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide. Moth storytellers stand alone, under a spotlight, with only a microphone and a roomful of strangers. The storyteller and the audience embark on a high-wire act of shared experience which is both terrifying and exhilarating. Since 2008, The Moth podcast has featured many of our favorite stories told live on Moth stages around the country. For information on all of our programs and live events, visit themoth.org.",
"airtime": "SAT 8pm-9pm and SUN 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/theMoth.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://themoth.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "prx"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-moth-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-moth-podcast/id275699983?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/The-Moth-p273888/",
"rss": "http://feeds.themoth.org/themothpodcast"
}
},
"the-new-yorker-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"title": "The New Yorker Radio Hour",
"info": "The New Yorker Radio Hour is a weekly program presented by the magazine's editor, David Remnick, and produced by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker. Each episode features a diverse mix of interviews, profiles, storytelling, and an occasional burst of humor inspired by the magazine, and shaped by its writers, artists, and editors. This isn't a radio version of a magazine, but something all its own, reflecting the rich possibilities of audio storytelling and conversation. Theme music for the show was composed and performed by Merrill Garbus of tUnE-YArDs.",
"airtime": "SAT 10am-11am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-New-Yorker-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/tnyradiohour",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1050430296",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/New-Yorker-Radio-Hour-p803804/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/newyorkerradiohour"
}
},
"the-sam-sanders-show": {
"id": "the-sam-sanders-show",
"title": "The Sam Sanders Show",
"info": "One of public radio's most dynamic voices, Sam Sanders helped launch The NPR Politics Podcast and hosted NPR's hit show It's Been A Minute. Now, the award-winning host returns with something brand new, The Sam Sanders Show. Every week, Sam Sanders and friends dig into the culture that shapes our lives: what's driving the biggest trends, how artists really think, and even the memes you can't stop scrolling past. Sam is beloved for his way of unpacking the world and bringing you up close to fresh currents and engaging conversations. The Sam Sanders Show is smart, funny and always a good time.",
"airtime": "FRI 12-1pm AND SAT 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/The-Sam-Sanders-Show-Podcast-Tile-400x400-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "KCRW"
},
"link": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feed.cdnstream1.com/zjb/feed/download/ac/28/59/ac28594c-e1d0-4231-8728-61865cdc80e8.xml"
}
},
"the-splendid-table": {
"id": "the-splendid-table",
"title": "The Splendid Table",
"info": "\u003cem>The Splendid Table\u003c/em> hosts our nation's conversations about cooking, sustainability and food culture.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Splendid-Table-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.splendidtable.org/",
"airtime": "SUN 10-11 pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-splendid-table"
},
"this-american-life": {
"id": "this-american-life",
"title": "This American Life",
"info": "This American Life is a weekly public radio show, heard by 2.2 million people on more than 500 stations. Another 2.5 million people download the weekly podcast. It is hosted by Ira Glass, produced in collaboration with Chicago Public Media, delivered to stations by PRX The Public Radio Exchange, and has won all of the major broadcasting awards.",
"airtime": "SAT 12pm-1pm, 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/thisAmericanLife.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wbez"
},
"link": "/radio/program/this-american-life",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201671138&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"rss": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/podcast/rss.xml"
}
},
"tinydeskradio": {
"id": "tinydeskradio",
"title": "Tiny Desk Radio",
"info": "We're bringing the best of Tiny Desk to the airwaves, only on public radio.",
"airtime": "SUN 8pm and SAT 9pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/300x300-For-Member-Station-Logo-Tiny-Desk-Radio-@2x.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/g-s1-52030/tiny-desk-radio",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tinydeskradio",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/g-s1-52030/rss.xml"
}
},
"wait-wait-dont-tell-me": {
"id": "wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"title": "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!",
"info": "Peter Sagal and Bill Kurtis host the weekly NPR News quiz show alongside some of the best and brightest news and entertainment personalities.",
"airtime": "SUN 10am-11am, SAT 11am-12pm, SAT 6pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Wait-Wait-Podcast-Tile-300x300-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/Xogv",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=121493804&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Wait-Wait-Dont-Tell-Me-p46/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/344098539/podcast.xml"
}
},
"weekend-edition-saturday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-saturday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Saturday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Saturday wraps up the week's news and offers a mix of analysis and features on a wide range of topics, including arts, sports, entertainment, and human interest stories. The two-hour program is hosted by NPR's Peabody Award-winning Scott Simon.",
"airtime": "SAT 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-saturday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-saturday"
},
"weekend-edition-sunday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-sunday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Sunday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Sunday features interviews with newsmakers, artists, scientists, politicians, musicians, writers, theologians and historians. The program has covered news events from Nelson Mandela's 1990 release from a South African prison to the capture of Saddam Hussein.",
"airtime": "SUN 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-sunday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-sunday"
}
},
"racesReducer": {},
"racesGenElectionReducer": {},
"racesGenElection2026Reducer": {},
"radioSchedulesReducer": {},
"listsReducer": {
"posts/news?tag=skid-row": {
"isFetching": false,
"latestQuery": {
"from": 0,
"size": 9
},
"vitalsOnly": false,
"totalRequested": 8,
"isLoading": false,
"isLoadingMore": true,
"total": {
"value": 8,
"relation": "eq"
},
"items": [
"news_12090227",
"news_11902904",
"news_11764275",
"news_11638652",
"news_10844950",
"news_10736931",
"news_10498134",
"news_10479996"
],
"complete": true
}
},
"recallGuideReducer": {
"intros": {},
"policy": {},
"candidates": {}
},
"savedArticleReducer": {
"articles": [],
"status": {}
},
"newslettersReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"newsletters": {},
"isSubscribing": false,
"isUnsubscribing": false,
"subscribedNewsletters": {}
},
"termsReducer": {
"about": {
"name": "About",
"type": "terms",
"id": "about",
"slug": "about",
"link": "/about",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"arts": {
"name": "Arts & Culture",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"description": "KQED Arts provides daily in-depth coverage of the Bay Area's music, art, film, performing arts, literature and arts news, as well as cultural commentary and criticism.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts",
"slug": "arts",
"link": "/arts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"artschool": {
"name": "Art School",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "artschool",
"slug": "artschool",
"link": "/artschool",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareabites": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareabites",
"slug": "bayareabites",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareahiphop": {
"name": "Bay Area Hiphop",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareahiphop",
"slug": "bayareahiphop",
"link": "/bayareahiphop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"campaign21": {
"name": "Campaign 21",
"type": "terms",
"id": "campaign21",
"slug": "campaign21",
"link": "/campaign21",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"careers": {
"name": "Careers",
"type": "terms",
"id": "careers",
"slug": "careers",
"link": "/careers",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"checkplease": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "checkplease",
"slug": "checkplease",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"education": {
"name": "Education",
"grouping": [
"education"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "education",
"slug": "education",
"link": "/education",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"elections": {
"name": "Elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "elections",
"slug": "elections",
"link": "/elections",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"events": {
"name": "Events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "events",
"slug": "events",
"link": "/events",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"event": {
"name": "Event",
"alias": "events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "event",
"slug": "event",
"link": "/event",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"filmschoolshorts": {
"name": "Film School Shorts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "filmschoolshorts",
"slug": "filmschoolshorts",
"link": "/filmschoolshorts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"food": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "food",
"slug": "food",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"forum": {
"name": "Forum",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/forum?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "forum",
"slug": "forum",
"link": "/forum",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"futureofyou": {
"name": "Future of You",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "futureofyou",
"slug": "futureofyou",
"link": "/futureofyou",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"jpepinheart": {
"name": "KQED food",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/food,bayareabites,checkplease",
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "jpepinheart",
"slug": "jpepinheart",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"liveblog": {
"name": "Live Blog",
"type": "terms",
"id": "liveblog",
"slug": "liveblog",
"link": "/liveblog",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"livetv": {
"name": "Live TV",
"parent": "tv",
"type": "terms",
"id": "livetv",
"slug": "livetv",
"link": "/livetv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"lowdown": {
"name": "The Lowdown",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/lowdown?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "lowdown",
"slug": "lowdown",
"link": "/lowdown",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"mindshift": {
"name": "Mindshift",
"parent": "news",
"description": "MindShift explores the future of education by highlighting the innovative – and sometimes counterintuitive – ways educators and parents are helping all children succeed.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift",
"slug": "mindshift",
"link": "/mindshift",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"news": {
"name": "News",
"grouping": [
"news",
"forum"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "news",
"slug": "news",
"link": "/news",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"newsletters": {
"name": "newsletters",
"type": "terms",
"id": "newsletters",
"slug": "newsletters",
"link": "/newsletters",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"perspectives": {
"name": "Perspectives",
"parent": "radio",
"type": "terms",
"id": "perspectives",
"slug": "perspectives",
"link": "/perspectives",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"podcasts": {
"name": "Podcasts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "podcasts",
"slug": "podcasts",
"link": "/podcasts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pop": {
"name": "Pop",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop",
"slug": "pop",
"link": "/pop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pressroom": {
"name": "Pressroom",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pressroom",
"slug": "pressroom",
"link": "/pressroom",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"quest": {
"name": "Quest",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "quest",
"slug": "quest",
"link": "/quest",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"radio": {
"name": "Radio",
"grouping": [
"forum",
"perspectives"
],
"description": "Listen to KQED Public Radio – home of Forum and The California Report – on 88.5 FM in San Francisco, 89.3 FM in Sacramento, 88.3 FM in Santa Rosa and 88.1 FM in Martinez.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "radio",
"slug": "radio",
"link": "/radio",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"root": {
"name": "KQED",
"image": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"imageWidth": 1200,
"imageHeight": 630,
"headData": {
"title": "KQED | News, Radio, Podcasts, TV | Public Media for Northern California",
"description": "KQED provides public radio, television, and independent reporting on issues that matter to the Bay Area. We’re the NPR and PBS member station for Northern California."
},
"type": "terms",
"id": "root",
"slug": "root",
"link": "/root",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"science": {
"name": "Science",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"description": "KQED Science brings you award-winning science and environment coverage from the Bay Area and beyond.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "science",
"slug": "science",
"link": "/science",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"stateofhealth": {
"name": "State of Health",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth",
"slug": "stateofhealth",
"link": "/stateofhealth",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"support": {
"name": "Support",
"type": "terms",
"id": "support",
"slug": "support",
"link": "/support",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"thedolist": {
"name": "The Do List",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "thedolist",
"slug": "thedolist",
"link": "/thedolist",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"trulyca": {
"name": "Truly CA",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "trulyca",
"slug": "trulyca",
"link": "/trulyca",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"tv": {
"name": "TV",
"type": "terms",
"id": "tv",
"slug": "tv",
"link": "/tv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"voterguide": {
"name": "Voter Guide",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "voterguide",
"slug": "voterguide",
"link": "/voterguide",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"guiaelectoral": {
"name": "Guia Electoral",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "guiaelectoral",
"slug": "guiaelectoral",
"link": "/guiaelectoral",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"news_tag_skid-row": {
"isLoading": true
},
"news_17954": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_17954",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "17954",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Skid Row",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Skid Row Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 17988,
"slug": "skid-row",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/skid-row"
},
"source_news_12090227": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_12090227",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The California Report Magazine",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/californiareportmagazine",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_news_11764275": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_news_11764275",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "News",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/news/",
"isLoading": false
},
"news_26731": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_26731",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "26731",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "The California Report Magazine",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "program",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "The California Report Magazine Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 26748,
"slug": "the-california-report-magazine",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/program/the-california-report-magazine"
},
"news_29992": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_29992",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "29992",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Arts",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Arts Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 30009,
"slug": "arts",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/arts"
},
"news_223": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_223",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "223",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Arts and Culture",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Arts and Culture Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 231,
"slug": "arts-and-culture",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/arts-and-culture"
},
"news_31795": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_31795",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "31795",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 31812,
"slug": "california",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/california"
},
"news_8": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_8",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "8",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "News",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "News Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 8,
"slug": "news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/news"
},
"news_33520": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33520",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33520",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Podcast",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Podcast Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33537,
"slug": "podcast",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/podcast"
},
"news_18538": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18538",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18538",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 31,
"slug": "california",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california"
},
"news_28519": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_28519",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "28519",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California Report Magazine",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Report Magazine Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 28536,
"slug": "california-report-magazine",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/california-report-magazine"
},
"news_27626": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_27626",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "27626",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "featured-news",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "featured-news Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 27643,
"slug": "featured-news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/featured-news"
},
"news_4": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_4",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "4",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "los angeles",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "los angeles Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4,
"slug": "los-angeles",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/los-angeles"
},
"news_1425": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1425",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1425",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "music",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "music Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1437,
"slug": "music",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/music"
},
"news_34560": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_34560",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "34560",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "podcasts",
"slug": "podcasts",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "podcasts | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 34577,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/podcasts"
},
"news_30162": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_30162",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "30162",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "The California Report Magazine",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "The California Report Magazine Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 30179,
"slug": "the-california-report-magazine",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/the-california-report-magazine"
},
"news_33738": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33738",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33738",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "California",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "California Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33755,
"slug": "california",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/california"
},
"news_37043": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_37043",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "37043",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Music",
"slug": "music",
"taxonomy": "interest",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Music | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 37060,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/music"
},
"news_33733": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_33733",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "33733",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "News",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "News Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 33750,
"slug": "news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/interest/news"
},
"news_6266": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_6266",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "6266",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Housing",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Housing Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 6290,
"slug": "housing",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/housing"
},
"news_21214": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_21214",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "21214",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "homeless encampments",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "homeless encampments Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21231,
"slug": "homeless-encampments",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/homeless-encampments"
},
"news_4020": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_4020",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "4020",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Homelessness",
"slug": "homelessness",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Homelessness | KQED News",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null,
"metaRobotsNoIndex": "index"
},
"ttid": 4039,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/homelessness"
},
"news_2109": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_2109",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "2109",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "mental health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "mental health Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2124,
"slug": "mental-health",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/mental-health"
},
"news_29607": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_29607",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "29607",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "unhoused",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "unhoused Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 29624,
"slug": "unhoused",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/unhoused"
},
"news_18481": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18481",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18481",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "CALmatters",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "affiliate",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "CALmatters Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 18515,
"slug": "calmatters",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/affiliate/calmatters"
},
"news_72": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_72",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "72",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2014/10/TCR-2-Logo-Web-Banners-03.png",
"name": "The California Report",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "program",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "The California Report Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 6969,
"slug": "the-california-report",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/program/the-california-report"
},
"news_1758": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_1758",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "1758",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Economy",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "Full coverage of the economy",
"title": "Economy Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2648,
"slug": "economy",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/economy"
},
"news_457": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_457",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "457",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Health Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 16998,
"slug": "health",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/health"
},
"news_248": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_248",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "248",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Technology",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Technology Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 256,
"slug": "technology",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/category/technology"
},
"news_249": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_249",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "249",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Facebook",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Facebook Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 257,
"slug": "facebook",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/facebook"
},
"news_18543": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_18543",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "18543",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Health",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Health Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 466,
"slug": "health",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/health"
},
"news_2011": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_2011",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "2011",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Rachael Myrow",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Rachael Myrow Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2026,
"slug": "rachael-myrow-2",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/rachael-myrow-2"
},
"news_38": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_38",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "38",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "San Francisco",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "San Francisco Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 58,
"slug": "san-francisco",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/san-francisco"
},
"news_3181": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_3181",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "3181",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Tenderloin",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Tenderloin Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3199,
"slug": "tenderloin",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/tenderloin"
},
"news_333": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_333",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "333",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Food",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Food Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 341,
"slug": "food",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/food"
},
"news_20337": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_20337",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "20337",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "food banks",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "food banks Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 20354,
"slug": "food-banks",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/food-banks"
},
"news_17286": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_17286",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "17286",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "tcr",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "tcr Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 17318,
"slug": "tcr",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/tcr"
},
"news_19491": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_19491",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "19491",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2016/06/SFHomeless_long_Horizontal-02-e1467163328567.png",
"name": "SF Homeless Project",
"description": "Thousands of people are homeless in San Francisco, and even more throughout the Bay Area. Despite years of concern and millions of dollars of investment, the problem persists.\r\n\r\nWho are the people who live on the streets and on the edge of homelessness? Why have we failed to create lasting change? And are there solutions that offer hope for the future? \u003cstrong>As part of a collaboration with dozens of Bay Area news organizations, KQED is exploring these questions, and more.\u003c/strong>",
"taxonomy": "series",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "KQED's SF Homeless Project is an in-depth look at homelessness in SF. We explore the causes, the challenges, and the efforts being made to address this crisis.",
"title": "SF Homeless Project: Diving into Homelessness in SF | KQED",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 19508,
"slug": "sf-homeless-project",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/series/sf-homeless-project"
},
"news_17041": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_17041",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "17041",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "the-california-report-featured",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "the-california-report-featured Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 17067,
"slug": "the-california-report-featured",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/the-california-report-featured"
},
"news_3921": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_3921",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "3921",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "affordable housing",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "affordable housing Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3940,
"slug": "affordable-housing",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/affordable-housing"
},
"news_4613": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "news_4613",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "news",
"id": "4613",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "gentrification",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "gentrification Archives | KQED News",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 4632,
"slug": "gentrification",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/news/tag/gentrification"
}
},
"userPermissionsReducer": {
"wpLoggedIn": false
},
"eventsReducer": {},
"fssReducer": {},
"tvDailyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvWeeklyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvPrimetimeScheduleReducer": {},
"tvMonthlyScheduleReducer": {},
"userAccountReducer": {
"user": {
"email": null,
"emailStatus": "EMAIL_UNVALIDATED",
"loggedStatus": "LOGGED_OUT",
"loggingChecked": false,
"articles": [],
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"phoneNumber": null,
"fetchingMembership": false,
"membershipError": false,
"memberships": [
{
"id": null,
"startDate": null,
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"familyNumber": null,
"memberNumber": null,
"memberSince": null,
"expirationDate": null,
"pfsEligible": false,
"isSustaining": false,
"membershipLevel": "Prospect",
"membershipStatus": "Non Member",
"lastGiftDate": null,
"renewalDate": null,
"lastDonationAmount": null
}
]
},
"authModal": {
"isOpen": false,
"view": "LANDING_VIEW"
},
"error": null
},
"youthMediaReducer": {},
"checkPleaseReducer": {
"filterData": {
"region": {
"key": "Restaurant Region",
"filters": [
"Any Region"
]
},
"cuisine": {
"key": "Restaurant Cuisine",
"filters": [
"Any Cuisine"
]
}
},
"restaurantDataById": {},
"restaurantIdsSorted": [],
"error": null
},
"userAgentReducer": {
"userAgent": "Mozilla/5.0 AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko; compatible; ClaudeBot/1.0; +claudebot@anthropic.com)",
"isBot": true
}
}
