A Korean-American homeless man in his 30s was found dead in a tent on the street.
Peter Choi, 34, was discovered deceased in a tent near 6th Street and South Wilton Place on March 9, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiners. The office confirmed Choi’s identity through fingerprinting and will conduct further examinations to determine the exact cause of death.
Meanwhile, billions of dollars have been spent to address homelessness in California, yet questions linger about its effectiveness. According to a report released by the Auditor of the State of California on April 9, the government has spent $24 billion to address homelessness in the state. However, the number of homeless people in California topped 180,000 last year, marking a 53% increase from 2013.
According to LA’s City Controller Report, released in March 2024, 900 unhoused people died last year. Despite the city budgeting $1.3 billion to address homelessness and implementing programs such as L.A. Care Medicare Plus and Inside Safe, 73 percent of homeless deaths occurred on the streets, in tents, and in parking lots.
BY KYEONGJUN KIM, JUNHAN PARK [kim.kyeongjun1@koreadaily.com]
