Zócalo Public Square

Los Angeles is the homeless capital of the nation, with 73,000 homeless men, women and children living on our streets on any given night. Though the number of homeless in Los Angeles has declined over the last few years, it has not declined as sharply as populations in other cities, like New York, which has fewer homeless but has devoted more funding to the cause. What can Los Angeles learn from cities like New York and Washington D.C., which have both reduced homelessness by emphasizing housing first and providing comprehensive care to address root causes? Zócalo hosts a panel of experts -- including United Way of Greater Los Angeles president Elise Buik, Mike Alvidrez, Executive Director for Skid Row Housing Trust, Becky Kanis, Director of Innovations for Common Ground in New York, and Chet Grey, Homeless Services Director of the Washington D.C. Business Improvement District -- on the question of whether homelessness is solveable, and if so, how Los Angeles can get its homeless population off the streets.