Feeding the Homeless Might Soon Be Illegal in L.A.

The same governing body that effectively outlawed medical marijuana shops, made a name for itself by passing bills that tackle controversial issues, and is one of a growing number of local government agencies with a Yelp! profile — and one star rating — has decided to class up the homeless by moving them indoors. At least when they’re being fed, that is, and thus, of course, out of site of people like actor Alexander Polinsky, who tells the New York Times that the volume of homeless congregating around a local food program makes him think “we have a neighborhood which now seems like a mental ward,” and added via Twitter:

Such compassion!

Los Angeles isn’t the only city to contemplate upping the ambiance by bringing homeless dining indoors. Philadelphia already has a law on the books, and down in the swampy, spray-tanned bastion of national weirdness that is Orlando, Florida, home to all things magical and Disney, it’s illegal to share food with groups of 25 or more people. Los Angeles does finds itself in a somewhat unique situation. While national homeless rates have dropped for the fourth year in a row, LA County has seen a spike of 15% since 2011, leading to what seems to be a critical mass.

It would seem, however, that if it’s socially acceptable to affix WiFi hotspots to them, shouldn’t we be okay with seeing the less fortunate eat?

We understand it can be hard sometimes to put yourself in another person’s shoes, especially mismatched ones with holes in them. Since the LA council is the highest paid in the country — averaging almost $179 grand a year — they should step up and shell out a little dough to see how the other half lives by taking a full-immersion $2 thousand homeless tour up in Seattle. They’d probably feel a little more charitable after a hungry night out in the rain. Or they can, you know, feed the homeless.


Read more: Feeding the Homeless Might Soon Be Illegal in L.A. – Esquire

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