A Little Background and History of Skid Row
1. The Definition of “Homeless.”
The federal governement defines “homeless" person as "an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate night time residence or a person who resides in a shelter, welfare hotel, transitional program or place not ordinarily used as regular sleeping accommodations, such as streets, cars, movie theatres, abandoned buildings, etc.” So, it includes even people who live in shelters and SROs.
2. The Number of Homeless Persons in Los Angeles County.
In Los Angeles County, there are approximately 80,000 people homeless on any given night, and approximately 250,000 people who are at one time during the year homeless.
3. A General Description of Skid Row.
Skid Row, sometimes called Central City East, has become the center of homelessness in Los Angeles. Generally, it is an area of approximately 50 city blocks and is bound by Main, Alameda, and Third and Seventh Streets. The heart of Skid Row is San Julian Street, dubbed by some as Missions Row or Hell-hole. The population of Skid Row is estimated to be approximately 12,000 as of 1998. Skid Row is surrounded by Little Tokyo to the north, an older historic banking district to the west, a thriving Flower District and Garment District to the immediate south, and the new loft district to the east. All of the surrounding areas are going through major revitalizations.
4. A Brief History of Skid Row.
In the 18th and 19th Centuries, the major industry in Los Angeles was agriculture and most of the work was seasonal. This gave rise to single room occupancy hotels (SRO) to house the primarily single male population coming to Los Angeles for seasonal work. Many of them were social misfits, and this gave rise to religious missions to “save” these people. In the 1870s, when the railroad was completed, the trains unloaded “tramps” next to the train station, which was Skid Row. Pacific Gospel Union (which changed its name to Union Rescue Mission) was founded in 1891, and Midnight Mission was founded in 1914 to minister to them. During the Great Depression, there was a lot of migration to the West. Many ended up in Los Angeles in search of a better life, and many who could not find a better life in Los Angeles ended up in Skid Row because there were social services and missions. After World War II, Skid Row began to be dominated by people seeking social services and inexpensive housing. It was at this time that this area cemented its reputation for having people with problems with alcohol abuse, mental incapacity, and long-term unemployability.
In 1975, the City adopted what was referred to as a “Policy of Containment” with respect to Skid Row. The idea was to create an area in which social services, missions, and other needs for the poor would be delivered because people in that area needed them. There was further growth of non-profit organizations serving in this area during this time. Furthermore, the policy was that this was an area for single male adults; services for families were discouraged. Also, “In the early 1980’s, when the mental hospitals emptied out, the city concentrated services for the down-and-out on Skid Row.”
One of the most dramatic changes in Skid Row in the last 15 years is the development of toy manufacturers and stores. Fifteen years ago, there were no such businesses there; now, the Downtown Toy District is in Skid Row. Although this is a depressed part of Downtown, there has been a tremendous economic revitalization in this area through the toy business--primarily small businesses that comprise a three-quarters of a billion dollar industry. As such, there is a noticeable tension between the business/industry sector and the residential/social services sector.
(if you want the sources for the above information, email Pastor Kevin at kevin@ynem.org)
The federal governement defines “homeless" person as "an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate night time residence or a person who resides in a shelter, welfare hotel, transitional program or place not ordinarily used as regular sleeping accommodations, such as streets, cars, movie theatres, abandoned buildings, etc.” So, it includes even people who live in shelters and SROs.
2. The Number of Homeless Persons in Los Angeles County.
In Los Angeles County, there are approximately 80,000 people homeless on any given night, and approximately 250,000 people who are at one time during the year homeless.
3. A General Description of Skid Row.
Skid Row, sometimes called Central City East, has become the center of homelessness in Los Angeles. Generally, it is an area of approximately 50 city blocks and is bound by Main, Alameda, and Third and Seventh Streets. The heart of Skid Row is San Julian Street, dubbed by some as Missions Row or Hell-hole. The population of Skid Row is estimated to be approximately 12,000 as of 1998. Skid Row is surrounded by Little Tokyo to the north, an older historic banking district to the west, a thriving Flower District and Garment District to the immediate south, and the new loft district to the east. All of the surrounding areas are going through major revitalizations.
4. A Brief History of Skid Row.
In the 18th and 19th Centuries, the major industry in Los Angeles was agriculture and most of the work was seasonal. This gave rise to single room occupancy hotels (SRO) to house the primarily single male population coming to Los Angeles for seasonal work. Many of them were social misfits, and this gave rise to religious missions to “save” these people. In the 1870s, when the railroad was completed, the trains unloaded “tramps” next to the train station, which was Skid Row. Pacific Gospel Union (which changed its name to Union Rescue Mission) was founded in 1891, and Midnight Mission was founded in 1914 to minister to them. During the Great Depression, there was a lot of migration to the West. Many ended up in Los Angeles in search of a better life, and many who could not find a better life in Los Angeles ended up in Skid Row because there were social services and missions. After World War II, Skid Row began to be dominated by people seeking social services and inexpensive housing. It was at this time that this area cemented its reputation for having people with problems with alcohol abuse, mental incapacity, and long-term unemployability.
In 1975, the City adopted what was referred to as a “Policy of Containment” with respect to Skid Row. The idea was to create an area in which social services, missions, and other needs for the poor would be delivered because people in that area needed them. There was further growth of non-profit organizations serving in this area during this time. Furthermore, the policy was that this was an area for single male adults; services for families were discouraged. Also, “In the early 1980’s, when the mental hospitals emptied out, the city concentrated services for the down-and-out on Skid Row.”
One of the most dramatic changes in Skid Row in the last 15 years is the development of toy manufacturers and stores. Fifteen years ago, there were no such businesses there; now, the Downtown Toy District is in Skid Row. Although this is a depressed part of Downtown, there has been a tremendous economic revitalization in this area through the toy business--primarily small businesses that comprise a three-quarters of a billion dollar industry. As such, there is a noticeable tension between the business/industry sector and the residential/social services sector.
(if you want the sources for the above information, email Pastor Kevin at kevin@ynem.org)
posted by Kevin Haah at 2:42 PM
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