Editorial: L.A. shouldn’t remove portable toilets from homeless encampments

Homeless people need shelter and housing, but they also desperately need public toilets. Without access to them, the unhoused have no choice but to carry out their most necessary and private of bodily functions on public streets and sidewalks. That’s a miserable situation for everyone.

But as the pandemic began to engulf Los Angeles last year and public health officials feared that the coronavirus could decimate the unhoused population, the city finally set up facilities in massive numbers. The city rushed to put out 363 hand-washing stations and 182 portable toilets at encampments across the city. So many units were ordered that the city exhausted one vendor’s supply and had to go to another.

The city insists that these installations were only intended to stay in place during the height of the pandemic as a public health measure. But COVID-19 is still a danger to the homeless population. Just a third of L.A. County’s estimated 66,000 homeless individuals are fully vaccinated. And even if the pandemic were over, why not keep toilet facilities in place? The need for them won’t go away after the pandemic.

We get it. Bathrooms are complicated. They get vandalized. What the city doesn’t seem to get is how urgently they are needed. Apparently residents have complained about the porta-potties near encampments — as if the sight of them signals that the city has normalized the existence of homeless encampments. Not at all. It signals that the city thinks it’s bad public health to normalize urinating and defecating on streets and sidewalks and in people’s yards.

opinion Unhoused

opinion They have those in the shelter. Get off the street.

opinion If only there were a source of labor, who would receive pay for providing some service! 🤯

opinion …unhoused…🙄🙄🙄

opinion Ok

opinion Sadly the homeless makes up less than 2% if that of the 4 mil in LA county, nobody wants to open up their homes or let them use the bathroom but we’d rather have cats or dogs and support them for life instead of humans. At least I’m honest to say it

opinion They need bathrooms and drugs and obviously a minimum of six bicycles. The basics. Beyond that we can discuss.

opinion Appalling situation...third world.

opinion Homeless people need fundamental services. Without it then they still have use the bathroom.

WVPple opinion

opinion It’s like the city of LA doesn’t want to help the homeless and not provide services anymore, the only reason why people like GavinNewsom and other politicians should be recalled promoting homelessness regardless of political party

opinion Remove everything. Being a vagrant should be hard so that they seek out services.

opinion No you really shouldn't... I mean it still smells like piss everywhere now imagine how it'll be without those lmao.

opinion It is obvious what will happen next

opinion I doubt that this problem will ever be resolved...

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