Is California a failed state?
It certainly feels that way.
Hello Financial Healers,
Since April, I’ve been documenting homelessness and poverty in Los Angeles. My 1st and 2nd posts were well-received. I hope you find this one enlightening, too.
Read my first 2 posts 👇
My basic argument is that California is failing, and as of right now, there’s no end in sight.
We see this most evident in the area of homelessness. According to the data, California has almost half of the country’s unsheltered homeless population. Billions of dollars have been spent on the issue, but it continues to worsen.
State of Reform writes, “California saw a 6.8% increase in homelessness between 2019 and 2020, and a 16.2% increase between 2007 and 2020.” California’s Legislative Analyst’s Office claims, “While homelessness is a complex problem with many causes, the high costs of housing is a significant factor in the state’s homelessness crisis.”
As the young father in the middle class, I agree housing is an issue. But it’s more than that. The state’s leadership is plagued with inefficiency. Remember the high speed rail from LA to San Fran? The Guardian writes, “The California project is still technically up and running, but it is so far behind schedule that it has yet to lay a single mile of track, despite 14 years of work and about $5bn spent.”
I spoke with one source, who pointed me to this article, which writes, “a French state-owned railroad operator, who came to California in hopes of helping the state build a high-speed rail system from Los Angeles to San Francisco… left for North Africa in 2011 because the region was 'less politically dysfunctional…'”
Photo: AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File
How did California go from one of the most beautiful states to a less stable region than North Africa? California has wonderful areas, like Dana Point, but it reminds me of Jamaica, a country with massive wealth gaps, which has 5 star resorts just blocks away from cardboard shelters.
How do we solve this?
Lee Ohanian, writing for Hoover Institution, asks, “Why don’t we have a better estimate of how many people are homeless, who they are, and why they are homeless?” California has little infrastructure set up to measure data regarding homeless policies. If the right technology is used, inefficient agencies can be targeted and removed from state funding.
What else can we do?
Pray. California won’t change until our leaders take responsibility. Ask God to raise up righteous leaders. Take time to strengthen your home. Just because California is failing, doesn’t mean you have to. My wife and I are moving from LA. It’s a hard decision, but we’ll be better off in 10 years, whether or not Sacramento improves.
Trust in God,
Cory De Silva
About: Cory is a screenwriter based in Pasadena. When he's not writing, he's helping families get out of debt, so they can pursue their dreams full-time and not be beholden to the banks or federal government. You can reach Cory at cory.dustin.desilva@gmail.com