LA Mayoral Candidate Spencer Pratt Claims Homeless Population Largely Imported, Sparking Debate
Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt has made controversial claims regarding the city's homeless population, suggesting that a significant portion is not originally from California. During an appearance on Bill Maher's podcast, Pratt stated that 60% of the homeless individuals in Los Angeles have been brought to the state by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that profit from what he describes as a 'homeless industrial complex.' Pratt's comments have sparked debate, as they challenge the common perception that Los Angeles attracts homeless individuals due to its climate and available services. While Pratt argues that many homeless people are drug addicts who refuse shelter rules, data from the University of California, San Francisco, indicates that most homeless Californians lost housing close to where they had been living. However, a 2020 report by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority found that about one-third of unsheltered people in Los Angeles County became homeless outside the county... 
