A new Metro study says more than 500 homeless people are kicked off trains and buses each night at LA County stations.
The study also shows which stops have the largest number of homeless people exiting.
In December, the city of Long Beach grew concerned about the number of homeless riders kicked off in downtown Long Beach each night. They thought the numbers were high.
They asked Metro to reconsider its “end of the line” policy, but now a new study shows other stops have far higher numbers.
Downtown Long Beach was thought to be the busiest stop where homeless riders were forced off each night.
Business owners captured the moment when police would clear the trains nightly.
“I just feel unsafe,” resident Steve Sous said.
Owners were worried about the increase in the number of homeless left to wander near their shops and sleep in doorways.
“I feel bad for those people. I wish they had a better place to go,” resident Tom Butler said.
But a Metro study indicates those numbers are small compared to other stops across the system.
The study also shows which stops have the biggest number of homeless exiting.
From December to April, on average 39 people experiencing homelessness were counted on downtown Long Beach’s Blue Line at the end of the night.
Union Station’s Red Line had the highest average nightly with 137 people forced off, followed by North Hollywood’s Red Line with 112.
At the 7th street/Metro Center in downtown LA where the Red and Purple lines meet, 93 people are forced off at the end of the night.
In total about 555 homeless people are cleared from the lines nightly.
“I think they just need more security on the trains,” resident Cathy Macias said.
Metro says 64% of those homeless surveyed are “willing and ready to be connected to services and/or housing.”
Metro is looking to hire two new outreach teams to work at stops hoping to assist those homeless riders.
The agency also continues to look at creating a “homeless hub” at one of its end of the line stops to provide shelter and assistance.
That idea has mixed reactions from residents and the city of Long Beach, which has asked it not be in the city limits.
Many wondering how many unhoused would actually use it. Others were concerned about having a hub in their backyard.
Metro is set to make some recommendations on solutions by this summer.
Source: NBC Los Angeles
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