Storms Rats Floods on Skid Row Homeless Encampments Los Angeles

Storms Rats Floods on Skid Row Homeless Encampments Los Angeles, walk with me on a very stormy windy and rainy day on skid row as everyone tries to stay dry. Today was a difficult day for the homeless as the storms caught everyone off guard including myself as I struggled to keep my umbrella in one piece. It seems like we have more people waiting in line for food now on skid row. Alot of people seek shelter indoors during the storms.
Skid Row, officially known as Central City East, is a neighborhood in Downtown Los Angeles. It contains one of the largest stable populations (approximately 9,200–15,000) of homeless people in the United States and has been known for its condensed homeless population since at least the 1930s1. Covering fifty city blocks immediately east of downtown Los Angeles, Skid Row is bordered by Third Street to the north, Seventh Street to the south, Alameda Street to the east, and Main Street to the west12.

The term “skid row” or “skid road” originated from a logging context. Loggers would transport logs to nearby rivers by sliding them down roads made from greased skids. Loggers who accompanied the load to the bottom of the road would wait there for transportation back up the hill to the logging camp. Over time, the term began to be used for places where people with no money and nothing to do gathered, becoming the generic term in English-speaking North America for a depressed street in a city1.

In terms of demographics, the racial makeup of Central City East includes approximately 39.7% Black/African American, 22.3% White, 16.3% Asian, and 15.1% Hispanic or Latino residents. The population is spread across various age groups, with a significant portion falling within the 25 to 54 age range. While there is currently no up-to-date population estimate due to limited data, it is estimated that the population increased by 13% after the COVID-19 pandemic1.

Skid Row remains a notable district in Los Angeles due to its long history of police raids, targeted city initiatives, and advocacy efforts related to homelessness1. If you’re interested in learning more or getting involved, you can explore resources like the Skid Row People’s Market, which responds to structural racism and criminalization of poverty by providing access to healthy food and equitable jobs3, or the Skid Row Marketplace, which serves as a destination for fresh organic produce, art, culture, and civil rights resources4.