{"id":326115,"date":"2026-05-21T12:44:08","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T12:44:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/326115\/"},"modified":"2026-05-21T12:44:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T12:44:08","slug":"pratts-proposed-fixes-for-l-a-homelessness-would-only-be-cosmetic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/326115\/","title":{"rendered":"Pratt\u2019s proposed fixes for L.A. homelessness would only be cosmetic"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

To the editor: We can all agree on the need to end homelessness, but Spencer Pratt\u2019s approach to the crisis will prove to be completely ineffective if he\u2019s elected (\u201cForced treatment and jail: Spencer Pratt\u2019s pledges to end homelessness stir up mayor\u2019s race,\u201d<\/a> May 19). Decades of research<\/a> have shown that the criminalization of those experiencing unsheltered homelessness only makes the situation worse by creating more barriers to employment and resettlement. It further negatively impacts mental health and well-being, and causes individuals to disengage even more from the services that exist to help them.<\/p>\n

While there is a role for the police to play in instances of genuine anti-social or illegal behavior, more generally speaking, any attempt to tackle homelessness purely through enforcement represents a short-term cosmetic fix rather than genuine and lasting change.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, the answer lies in the availability of affordable housing. From London to Los Angeles, it is clear that high rents lead to greater rates of homelessness. This is where our focus should be, not on rehashing failed policies and tired stereotypes.<\/p>\n

Ryan McKiernan, London
This writer is managing director of Fat Macy\u2019s Foundation, a London-based homelessness charity. <\/p>\n

..<\/p>\n

To the editor: Writers Andrew Khouri, Doug Smith and James Queally touch on what makes mayoral candidate Pratt\u2019s plans challenging and\/or impossible.<\/p>\n

What is missing is acknowledgment that drug abuse problems often stem from life experiences including early childhood. A myriad of reasons for drug abuse should be taken into account: poverty, lack of access to education, generational trauma, racism, lack of access to medical and psychological care, etc. Pratt\u2019s plan to incarcerate hard drug users as a way of getting them off the street is both tone-deaf and cruel.<\/p>\n

Until we successfully implement universal healthcare, early childhood programs, education and child care, drug abusers will likely return to the streets. Pratt doesn\u2019t bother to look beyond his privileged, white upbringing to understand what can lead to substance abuse problems in the first place.<\/p>\n

Alexis P. Markowitz, Playa Vista<\/p>\n

..<\/p>\n

To the editor: I\u2019m sure Pratt understands that grabbing people off the street and jailing them \u2014 an ICE-like approach \u2014 is beyond the powers and budget of the city. His real goal is obvious: getting elected.<\/p>\n

Tim Clark, Los Angeles<\/p>\n

..<\/p>\n

To the editor: If Angelenos want to have their own local version of President Trump, elect Pratt (\u201cSpencer Pratt, like Donald Trump, is a product of the reality TV industrial complex,\u201d<\/a> May 18). They have so much in common. Pratt has shown he can\u2019t manage money, blowing through $10 million<\/a> with his wife. He calls opponents names. He has absolutely no experience in government. He sees himself as some sort of superhero. He\u2019s reportedly<\/a> turning his mayoral bid into a reality show. And now he\u2019s talking trash about the city in which he lives.<\/p>\n

So if the voters are willing to trust another reality TV personality with no government experience, disdain for people he disagrees with and the inability to hold on to his own money (but wants to manage the city\u2019s), Pratt\u2019s your person.<\/p>\n

Les Hartzman, Los Angeles<\/p>\n

..<\/p>\n

To the editor: Lorraine Ali states that \u201cPratt is running on a message that L.A. is broken and only he can fix it \u2014 somehow. He has no experience in public office.\u201d Why should that be a hindrance? Los Angeles has had the \u201cexperience\u201d of Mayor Karen Bass and what have we had? Horrific fires mismanaged by the mayor, no major visible improvement in homelessness, cracked streets and potholes with long waiting times to be repaired. These are all examples of what Bass\u2019 \u201cexperience\u201d has brought to the city.<\/p>\n

Maybe someone like Pratt, whose Palisades home burned down, can bring a fresh perspective in dealing with the many problems Los Angeles has.<\/p>\n

Janet Polak, Beverly Hills<\/p>\n

..<\/p>\n

To the editor: In the early 20th century, journalist H.L. Mencken observed<\/a>, \u201cAs democracy is perfected, the office represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart\u2019s desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some may argue that that day has arrived, some may not. But as long as we now seem to select candidates based on looks, followers, celebrity, the unreality of reality show performance, athletic performance, etc., rather than intellect, experience and true leadership skills, we can rest assured if we continue down this path, the nation predicted by Mencken will come to pass. Not only in the White House, but at local levels too.<\/p>\n

John Goodman, Oak Park<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"To the editor: We can all agree on the need to end homelessness, but Spencer Pratt\u2019s approach to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":322769,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[4329,21236,1409,4109,2072,15,9576,84051,48,52,51,47928,6547,47,50,49,63,592,36877,43125,1291],"class_list":["post-326115","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-los-angeles","tag-access","tag-approach","tag-city","tag-early-childhood","tag-editor","tag-education","tag-experience","tag-l-a-homelessness","tag-la","tag-la-headlines","tag-la-news","tag-lack","tag-london","tag-los-angeles","tag-los-angeles-headlines","tag-los-angeles-news","tag-los-angeles-times","tag-people","tag-pratt","tag-spencer-pratt","tag-street"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/326115","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=326115"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/326115\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/322769"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=326115"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=326115"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=326115"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}