TNSOLs in Tinseltown--Hollywood Must Step Up for Homeless say Ex-White House Spokesman Bob Weiner and Analyst Jonathan Battaglia
WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A former White House and U.S. House Government Operations Committee spokesman, Robert Weiner, and policy analyst Jonathan Battaglia have called for Hollywood stars to end Los Angeles' reputation as the nation's "meanest" toward their homeless.
In an op-ed in The Hollywood Reporter, Weiner and Battaglia say the over 80,000 homeless on any given night in Los Angeles should be a top priority for actors and actresses. The homeless live in TNSOLs, or Targeted Nonsheltered Outdoor Locations – the Census Bureau's branding of "another name for a park bench or a street corner."
They say, "Hollywood stars need to visit homeless shelters in their own neighborhoods before they tackle problem overseas. It's not hard for Hollywood to get involved."
Weiner and Battaglia point to the Obama administration's new national strategy to end child and family homelessness within 10 years: "Where were actors and actresses at the June 22 news conference unveiling this plan? The answer is, not present; and they could have attended this publicly announced event and would have been brought forward. Now why not a Hollywood-White House meeting to see how we can solve this problem?"
In Los Angeles itself, according to a UCLA study, the city spent $6 million to crack down on crime in the Skid Row area, but only $5.7 million for homeless services.
Weiner and Battaglia call for "a change in attitude and legislation toward their neighbors" by Hollywood stars. The National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty chose Los Angeles as the No. 1 "meanest" city toward its homeless.
The authors point to charity organizations that deal with homelessness and an annual benefit ball hosted by actress Rebecca Gayheart: "It's an important step in the right direction, but homelessness deserves more than an annual ball."
Weiner and Battaglia conclude: "The cost of having so many Americans mired in poverty is far greater than the cost of helping them take care of themselves. The public cost for one person in supportive housing is $605 a month. A homeless person costs the public $2,897 a month, nearly five-times more than one who is housed."
Contact: Bob Weiner/Gavriel Swerling 301-283-0821/202-306-1200
SOURCE Robert Weiner Associates
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