Sanitation, safety problematic in LA-area homeless shelters

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Thousands of homeless people sleep on the streets of Los Angeles County while many shelter beds go empty.

Southern California Public Radio station KPCC reports problems ranging from bedbugs and rats to harassment and lax medical care can make shelters unpalatable.

One homeless man, Craig Aslin, says he tried a homeless shelter and was bitten by bedbugs so he left and ended up in a tent in Hollywood. He says the tent is cleaner, he doesn’t have to deal with people he doesn’t like and he can come and go at will.

KPCC says its investigation found public documents from an array of government agencies reveal safety and sanitation problems in shelters around the county, and a patchwork system of oversight leaves no single entity to ensure cleanliness and safety.

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Information from: KPCC-FM, http://www.scpr.org/