Recently within the last year, Koreatown had many facelifts to look more modern. Many high rise buildings reach the highest peaks of the sky and older buildings are beatified; there are more people moving into Koreatown from the outskirts. While most of us are thinking rich, young professionals are the new residents of our neighborhood, which is not the case. The new residents are the homeless people who have increasingly settled in Korea Town in fast pace. This rise in homelessness is causing some major issues in our neighborhood.

The increasing number of tents on every corner of our neighborhood is widely visible. Where previously the tents were set up on vacant lots, parks, or deserted lots, now, more tents are prevalent everywhere including in residential areas. There are few tents peaked few steps from my house. One tent brings in more tents creating a neighborhood of tents on our community. While trying to tolerate and be understanding to these new residents of our community, there are so many problems associated with these people.

The reality is that homeless people do not have any means of sanitation. They don’t have running water, access to bathrooms, or a place to dispose their trash. They are prone to use the streets as their bathrooms, and throw away their garbage on the streets. This living conditions bring in problems associated with rats and other disease causing pests. These can spread quickly to nearby homes and business causing major diseases.

Tent residents take over the sidewalks from other residents. They have no sense of keeping their clutter in order or minimize their belongings such as shopping carts and other unnecessary baggage. Other residents cannot take walks around their blocks in peace. They are forced to walk on the streets due to tents that are blocking the sidewalks. They cook their meals on the streets by making a fire which is very dangerous because the fire can go out of control and cause bigger fires to the nearby residences.

With so many problematic issues associated with these new residents, how are the residents of Korea Town supposed to act to resolve this growing problem? There isn’t a quick fix to this issue and everyone in the community should join together to help these homeless people to get their lives back on track and also at the same time save our beautiful town.

<Ivy Park / Third Street ES. 5th grade>