As one drives through the streets of Riverside, one can’t help but notice the homeless on the streets as more of them appear every year. You may see them pushing around a shopping cart, holding a sign asking for money, stationed in their tent, or even under the influence of drugs. Unfortunately, each year in Riverside, the homeless population has only been increasing and is expected to continue rising.
“Homelessness throughout Riverside County is climbing at an alarming rate with a 12 percent increase over the past year,” says KTLA 5 News. Over the years, the percentage has only been increasing, and one can’t help but ask themselves, “How much will it increase by the end of 2023?”
An official count of the homeless population was made last year in 2022. “Riverside County has a reported 3,725 unhoused individuals in 2023, up from 3,316 in 2022,” according to KTLA 5. Here, we can see the 12 percent increase and it will only continue to plague Riverside. A large number of the homeless population is made up of veterans and individuals over the age of 24. “Homeless veterans rose by 31 percent and homeless families with children rose by 12 percent,” said KTLA 5.
Families struggle to find affordable housing so they resort to shelters located within the county. Riverside is known for being an expensive place to live: “The average cost of living in Riverside is $2251, which is in the top 10% of the most expensive cities in the world”, according to Living Cost. Many struggle to find jobs that will provide them with financial stability, due to factors such as drug addiction or possessing a criminal record.
“Some of my family members have struggled with being able to afford housing so they became homeless,” said Isabel Romero, a senior from North High School. The general cost of living affects many people and can even affect a loved one of yours.
We may see the issues homeless can cause when they are under the influence of drugs or simply trying to make a quick buck. “Last week, a homeless man came onto my mom’s driveway and tried to steal her car,” said senior Isaias Frias from North.
Not all homeless bring problems and addiction- some just landed in an unfortunate situation and are now forced to live on the street. Homeless shelters are located in Riverside and many efforts are being made in order to combat the situation. “The County of Riverside was awarded $11 million from the State of California to serve and house individuals experiencing homelessness throughout the Santa Ana River Bottom,” according to KTLA 5. Efforts are underway to help individuals and families out of homelessness which will hopefully decrease the number of unhoused individuals.
It all comes down to whether people decide to accept the help- some may be too far into addiction to even comprehend what’s going on or some may just choose not to accept it. Homelessness is an issue that they themselves must make the choice to get out of. County officials and supporters can only do so much to help them.
