Thursday, December 28, 2017

Behind Hollywood's glamour: Shocking images of poverty and homelessness in downtown Los Angeles

Tents of homeless people in
downtown Los Angeles, California.
  • Capitalism Exposed in L.A.

  • What lies behind the glamorous showcase of the United States' second largest city? 

  • Rubbish bags piled up by the pavements and littered across streets. Tents erected in clusters where people have camped down for the night. Dozens of directionless residents congregating by the roadside and wandering into the road. 

  • This is what Christmas Day looked like for thousands of homeless people in the dark and dingy underbelly of Downtown Los Angeles this year.  

  • Shot on 5th Street, 6th Steet and San Pedro in the Skid Row district, a video captures life in one of the city's most notorious homeless hotspots. This area of LA's central business zone is considered to be one of the most dangerous places to live in the city. Rubbish bags litter the streets and tents have been erected to shelter residents - including women and children.

  • Rising cost of living in California is also forcing middle class residents to live in their cars in affluent areas. A lucky few will find food and somewhere warm to sleep at shelters and rescue missions. But many are left to navigate the industrial sprawl and smoke alone.

  • Watch the video: