Homeless Vet's Tent Set on Fire

Larry is a homeless veteran living on the streets of Downtown Los Angeles. He shares someone set his tent on fire. Homeless encampment fires are growing as homelessness continues to grow. Fires are dangerous no matter how they are started. In DTLA, many tent fires are set by gangs in retaliation for a homeless person not paying their taxes. Another cause is more people are cooking outside or using propane heaters to stay warm. Addiction and smoking can be causes of both house and tent fires.

Larry said he got his dog Rebel from someone that was beating the dog with a metal cane. Larry said he was beaten to and received six stitches.

Larry has been outside far too long. Larry says he has been looking for work before the pandemic hit, but even if he was, an elderly homeless man like Larry is not hirable. Larry says he lived in an SRO that was a dump. He says the hot water and heaters didn't work. Downtown LA's SROs are known for horrible conditions.

A new friend introduced me to Larry. As a rule, I try not to post interviews with people who have a severe mental illness. Larry sometimes does not make sense. My guess is his mental state is fragile because of his age and homelessness. Elderly homelessness is growing.10,000 boomers are hitting 65 years-old every day. More seniors lost everything in the 08 crash and ending up with no choice but to sleep on a sidewalk. I can't imagine what Larry and other elderly homeless people have to go through every night. We need to get them all in permanent supportive housing.

Your voice can help end homelessness. If we do not fix the affordable housing crisis, homelessness will continue to get worse. Click here [https://invisiblepeople.tv/getinvolved]​ to tweet, email, call, or Facebook your federal and state legislators to tell them ending homelessness and creating more affordable housing is a priority to you.

More Los Angeles stories:

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Homeless woman slept on the sidewalk in downtown Los Angeles last night.    • Homeless woman slept on the sidewalk in do...  

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#homeless @losangeles #elderlyhomelessness
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About Invisible People

There is a direct correlation between what the general public perceives about homelessness and how it affects policy change. Most people blame homelessness on the person experiencing it instead of the increasing shortage of affordable housing, lack of employment, childhood trauma, lack of a living wage, or the countless reasons that put a person at risk. This lack of understanding creates a dangerous cycle of misperception that leads to the inability to effectively address the root causes of homelessness.

We imagine a world where everyone has a place to call home. Each day, we work to fight homelessness by giving it a face while educating individuals about the systemic issues that contribute to its existence. Through storytelling, education, news, and activism, we are changing the narrative on homelessness.

This isn’t just talk. Each year, our groundbreaking educational content reaches more than a billion people across the globe. Our real and unfiltered stories of homelessness shatter stereotypes, demand attention and deliver a call-to-action that is being answered by governments, major brands, nonprofit organizations, and everyday citizens just like you.

However, there is more work to be done on the road ahead. Homelessness is undoubtedly one of our biggest societal issues today and will only continue to grow if we don’t take action now.

Invisible People is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to educating the public about homelessness through innovative storytelling, news, and advocacy. Since our launch in 2008, Invisible People has become a pioneer and trusted resource for inspiring action and raising awareness in support of advocacy, policy change and thoughtful dialogue around poverty in North America and the United Kingdom.