LA is on an upswing when it comes to a reduced crime rate, mass transit options and a cool populace, so why is the city so sad?
The city has undergone something of a makeover in recent years. Where once there were dodgy streets and alleyways, now stand gleaming new hotels. Those gleaming new hotels, though, are a facade covering up a city with one of the biggest homeless encampments in the world. A recent independent report suggests that 40% of the 4 million plus people who live in Los Angeles live in 'misery'. 'Misery' in this case is not defined as depression, but lower than that; people unable to have access to even basic sanitation.
It's a figure that is difficult to ignore, as 40% of 4 million is a lot of lost souls. Ignored and covered-up, these people live a life that is far away from even the basics of humanity. Every year, the beautiful city of Hollywood dreams is becoming less and less livable. The blame is placed squarely on Los Angeles not being able to keep up with the 20th century. Jobs are not being created fast enough, it says. The urban sprawl is becoming too much for the city to handle.
Los Angeles has a great past in the finance, toruism, transportation and entertainment industries, so why is it failing so rapidly now? Has the city, as the report suggests, outgrown itself?
It seems as if the economy will need to be rebuilt from the ground up. Los Angeles is not the only city to suffer during this economic decline, but because of it's size, it's failing hard.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
