Advocates for the homeless in Los Angeles are emphasizing the urgent need for transitional housing solutions, pointing to the dire situations people are resorting to for shelter.
This week, Juan Naula, a non-profit organization leader, stumbled upon a troubling scene: a man and woman residing in a crawl space within a bridge near the LA River.
“People are making homes out of bridge pillars—this is the stark reality we face in our city,” Naula shared in a post on Instagram.
Gustavo, one of the individuals living in the bridge, revealed that he and his girlfriend have been there for three years. The conditions are harsh, similar to those faced by another person who recently lived in a storm drain in Los Angeles.
The tiny space carried the scent of smoke from a fire they used for warmth, mingled with the smell of urine, according to NBC LA.
Naula recounted that the couple explained how a “bank” had repossessed their homes, leaving them with no place to go.
“The bank took over the houses and that’s why they ended up here,” Naula told NBC LA.
He offered the couple food and water, which they accepted.
“I’m trying to do whatever I can. Sometimes people don’t want help, it’s OK, but this lady wanted to get help,” he explained.
Naula has been helping people in LA since he moved to the area a year-and-a-half ago from the East Coast. He runs the popular Clean LA With Me Instagram account.
He said the bridge dwelling, another in a series of abhorrent conditions he’s found homeless people living in, makes him emotional.
“I want to cry,” Naula told NBC LA. “This is not acceptable. I don’t accept it.”
