What do we do about the homeless?

This is one of the most vexing public policy problems we face.

If you live in a big city, especially on the West Coast,

you literally face it every day, and every day it seems to get worse.

Why?

Let's start with a couple facts.

First, the word itself is misleading.

Homelessness is not primarily a housing problem.

It's a human problem.

The primary drivers of homelessness are drug addiction and mental illness.

According to data from UCLA's California Policy Lab,

approximately three-quarters of people living in cars,

tents, and on the streets suffer from serious mental illness, drug addiction, or both.

Second, despite these conditions, the homeless actually make rational decisions

about where they want to live.

Not surprisingly, they move to the most permissive environment they can find.

Make your city attractive for the homeless, and they'll be the path to your doorway.

The Venice Boulevard underpass on the border of Los Angeles and Culver City

brings home this point.

It's one of thousands of concrete structures in Los Angeles County,

but there's a curious detail.

The Los Angeles side is full of tents, and the Culver City side is empty.

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