Video shows a homeless man jumping onto the hood of a car and smashing its windshield at the intersection of Hollywood and Highland, marking the first time in Los Angeles and California that homeless people suffering from addiction and mental illness are losing property. Just one of countless scenes of destruction. They assault people and sometimes even commit murder.
The woman who shot the video happened to be a therapist who treated unhoused people.
“It was clearly a cry for help,” said Madeleine, who wanted to be identified only by her first name. “I felt like he was at his limit.”
The man in the video was later identified as 30-year-old Adam Noel, who has a long criminal history. He was charged with felony criminal damage to property, but was released the next day.
“We don’t know where he is right now,” said Kelly Morrison, founder of Hollywood 2.0, a nonprofit that helps homeless people with mental health issues. “My ideal scenario would be to have a crisis management team mobilized immediately to contact him directly.”
But even though there are numerous agencies and nonprofits in the Los Angeles area that spend hundreds of millions of dollars a year fighting homelessness, it’s hard to help him get and keep the services he needs. It would be difficult.
A Los Angeles County audit found more than $50 million in homeless funds went unspent, and a City of Los Angeles audit found $513 million earmarked for homeless programs was never spent.
“I can’t imagine there will be enough[services]but I hope there will be more,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said.
Homeless advocates, including therapist Madeline, have a message to the mayor and other politicians.
“Other cities understand this. We’re a city full of smart, creative people, and I think we can really put a stop to this problem,” Madeleine said.
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