Los Angeles Landlords Exploiting The New Homeless

I have long thought that you needed a death wish to live in California.

The state is on a major seismic fault. It has had major earthquakes before that destroyed cities like San Francisco - and that was when the population of California was a fraction of its current level, plus the water supply is critically depemdent on depleting water resources in other states - and now the threat of catastophic fires.

But as HousePlantQueen says the USA electorate voted for the ultimate free market, low government President. This dog eat dog attitude to life where disasters like seen are seen as the victims own fault, if they are not prepared for it, is the direct result od auch attitudes. Exploiting other people at their weakest is built in to the American world view.

Babs03

On the flip side of this I imagine there are many ordinary people in LA who are now trying to help as best they can, offering space in their own homes to those who are now homeless and donating clothes, toiletries, bottled water, food etc., as well as volunteering with charities on the ground.
There are two faces to humanity and this is the one I prefer to see.

I completely agree Babs.. there will always be people who are kind and generous thankfully

There are, I believe rules forbidding this, but it obviously doesn't stop it. Anyway, the USA electorate voted for the ultimate free market, low government President.....surely this is what Trump supports?

If I had the choice, moving away from California makes more sense. Air quality must be poor and the fires are not fully contained. It’s unlikely that the local economy has survived so relocating for a time until life resumes more normally would be my option….

On the flip side of this I imagine there are many ordinary people in LA who are now trying to help as best they can, offering space in their own homes to those who are now homeless and donating clothes, toiletries, bottled water, food etc., as well as volunteering with charities on the ground.
There are two faces to humanity and this is the one I prefer to see.

A bit like those dreadful people during the war who sold black market goods I suppose.

Yes am afraid there are always vultures ready to exploit other people’s misfortune, and am afraid they usually make a shed load of money out of it.
Disgusting but predictable.

There is always someone or some company ready to step in and make money out of a disaster.

Morally wrong of course it is, from a business point of view I can see the attraction.

MaizieD

Life or human nature, it’s appalling just the same.

It is appalling. But being the cynic that I am where human nature is concerned when an opportunity to make money comes along I’m rarely surprised or shocked.

It happened to us in 2023. The town where we had rented a property was burnt to the ground. We just accepted that we would be expected to pay more ( a lot more) for another property.

C'est la vie

Life or human nature, it’s appalling just the same.

That’s life 🤷‍♀️

Well, of course some of them will. That happens in a any situation like this.

In a non-disaster situation this is why renting a property in London, or any other, area short of housing, costs so much more than in areas with sufficient housing.

I am not condoning such behaviour, just saying it is happening all the time.

That makes me feel sick and I’d put them in a bracket with the disgusting looters.