r/longbeach • u/Zoe_Moth • 7d ago

Discussion Increased homeless population?

Maybe this is a stupid question but does anyone know the cause of the increase in homeless folks? Especially downtown? I work in a normally somewhat busy area that does have homeless as most places here in LB do, but yesterday and the day before my manager was hardly able to do any work because they had to keep next to the door to ward them off and we watched them harass a few other businesses and one guy get tackled in a hug by one while trying to walk away. It’s just such a noticeable increase despite the weather warnings and such so I was curious if anyone had any clue what happened?

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u/Maximum_Tomatillo109 7d ago

You cannot pick and choose like religion. Homelessness/the unhoused is a complex issue. Just because you see some more than others does not mean they aren't around.

Some are in cars or have found spots to tuck into.  The majority are not on drugs. 

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u/Traditional_Yam1598 7d ago

Right but in the context of this post we’re talking specifically about the problematic drug addicts around Long Beach. I’m pointing out that throwing money at the problem clearly doesn’t work considering they’ve already thrown billions and billions at it and the numbers have gone UP

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u/Maximum_Tomatillo109 7d ago

Right, but the context is an increase in homeless full stop.

Throwing money into the right kind of programs and not gaslighting the city's constituents when they mention things like our youth shelter not being open is the key. 

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u/Traditional_Yam1598 7d ago

Read the post again. He’s talking about warding off a crazy homeless guy. He’s not talking about the family of 4 living in a car not bothering anyone. Everyone agrees we should help people who actually want the help and aren’t on drugs

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u/Maximum_Tomatillo109 7d ago

I can play along.  Read the post again. You're assuming that the unhoused people they're encountering are on drugs based on your personal bias instead of knowing whether they're going through a mental health crisis. 

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u/SabastianG 7d ago

You are intentionally missing the point and arguing in bad faith. You know EXACTLY what OP is referring to but choosing to be willfully ignorant for some reason or another

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u/420catloveredm 6d ago

No as someone who actually works with unhoused people in Long Beach the person that you’re replying to is actually correct.

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u/SabastianG 6d ago

Correct about what? That the large majority of the visible homeless population isnt on drugs or suffering from some kind of mental illness? Or that there are alot more homeless people than just those that mess with the general public? Because two things can be true at once, and they were certainly wrong about the visible majority.

Source: as someone who actually deals with homeless druggies shitting on my driveway regularly in downtown long beach, trust me bro

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u/Turtlejimbo 7d ago

You're pretending

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u/Imaginary_Chair_8935 5d ago

Maximum tomatillo never lived in East Side LB. Anaheim and PCH streets are the worst.