By Julio Carrasco

Los Angeles city officials have decided to remove the tiny homes homeless people live in under overpasses of the 110 freeway. These tiny homes were built and donated by a once homeless man named Elvis Summers. The homes came installed with solar power, which Summers believed was better for the homeless than the tents they previously used.

The city has taken three of the tiny homes and locked in the city’s storage lot. City officials notified the homeless who used the homes that they would be “discarded.” Councilman Curren Price said that removing the tiny homes was a matter health and safety. Price claimed that people have complained about the tiny homes because they had to walk into the streets to avoid them.

Supporters of the homeless believe that the tiny homes are better because it’s cheaper and safer than having the homeless sleep on the sidewalks. Opponents on the other hand, believe that the tiny homes are only providing cover for drug use and prostitution.

The removal of these tiny homes, which they city identified as “bulky items,” is part of the city’s $2 billion plan to try and end the rapidly growing problem of homelessness. Over 30,000 homeless people sleep on the streets in the L.A. county.
Summers says “ It’s not a permanent solution, but nobody is doing anything for shelter right now.” Summers says that the city continues stating that the homeless need permanent housing but city officials never do anything to make it happen.

An anonymous APB sophomore, stated “I don’t think the city should be wasting their time on discarding the tiny homes, instead they should create more homeless shelters throughout the L.A. county. “ He went on to say that Summers should have the ability to build more tiny homes in an area where homeless people can live in.