Taxpayers Fund New $600,000-per-Unit High-Rise for Homeless
On Wednesday, a new high-rise residential tower aimed at addressing homelessness opened its doors in downtown Los Angeles. The Weingart Tower, a 19-story development with 278 units, represents the city’s latest and largest permanent supportive housing project, intended to provide shelter for those currently living on Skid Row.
Local ABC affiliate KABC-7 reported on the project’s unique features and impressive amenities, which include a gym, art room, music room, computer room, and library. Additionally, the building dedicates an entire floor to offices for case workers.
At nearly $600,000 per unit, the cost to build each apartment in this homeless high-rise exceeds the median price of a condominium in Los Angeles, which stood at $564,520 at the end of 2023. While the median listing price for a single-family, detached home in the city was higher, at $1.3 million, the high cost per unit has raised eyebrows given the project’s funding source: taxpayers.
Los Angeles has spent the past decade and a half grappling with homelessness, implementing various tax hikes and taxpayer-funded initiatives aimed at curbing the issue. However, these efforts have largely failed to stem the growth of the homeless population. Providing substantial benefits to the homeless, such as free apartments or hotel rooms, attracts more homeless individuals to the city and state, creating a cycle that’s difficult to break.
