The Tiny Home Villages Sweeping LA

According to The New York Times, Over the past two years, the city has rapidly expanded its network of tiny home communities as an emergency measure to get people out of tents and off sidewalks. There are now 14 of these sites operating, housing around 1,000 formerly homeless Angelenos in 64-square-foot aluminum and fiberglass shelters.

At the largest village called Branford Village in Sun Valley, roughly 150 people live in the pint-sized dwellings. While a major upgrade from sidewalk living, conditions are still austere. Each prefab unit is just big enough for a twin bed and has no bathroom, kitchen or privacy – many are shared between two people. Communal bathrooms, lack of greenspace, and poor drainage that causes flooding during rainstorms are common sources of frustration.

“The city brands these as tiny homes like they’re a real housing solution, but they’re just tiny sheds,” says Shayla Myers, an attorney at the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles. “They’re not humane long-term.”

A Cheap, Rapid Alternative to Traditional Shelters

So why have city officials embraced tiny homes so fervently? The primary drivers are cost and speed. Erecting a traditional homeless shelter with supportive services can cost over $550,000 per unit and take years. Tiny home villages like Branford can be built for around $42,000 per bed in a matter of months using prefab units from companies like Pallet Shelter.

Tiny homes offer a relatively private, stand-alone living space compared to congregate shelters where clients sleep in shared rooms or open bays. This semi-private model aims to provide more dignity, stability and autonomy to get people transitioning from life on the streets.

“Interim tiny homes are absolutely not the end goal, but they have saved lives and served as an important bridge to permanent housing for thousands in LA,” says LA mayoral spokesperson Zach Seidl.

A Temporary Fix, Not a Long-Term Solution

While effective as an emergency triage, the tiny home model has major limitations in solving chronic homelessness long-term. Residents frequently complain about feeling trapped in the cramped, dorm-like conditions with minimal services and programming beyond basic food, showers and case management.

“These were designed to be temporary stops, not places for people to live for years,” says Todd Ferry from Portland State University, who has studied tiny home communities. “If the goal is just to warehouse people with minimal resources in inhumane conditions, you’ll get really poor outcomes.”

At Branford Village, only 25 out of 369 people who moved out in the past year transitioned to permanent housing. 92 returned to the streets, a reality check on the challenges of rapidly rehousing people with complex needs.

“We’re still waiting to get placed somewhere bigger, a real apartment,” says 65-year-old resident Sharon Hill. “I’m starting to lose hope this is meant to be real housing.”

Uncertain Futures

As the tiny home pilot program continues expanding across Los Angeles, its long-term viability remains an open question. Proponents argue it’s better than leaving people on the streets while more affordable housing gets built. Critics decry warehousing people in cramped shelters indefinitely, slowing momentum on developing enough permanent supportive housing.

Most agree the tiny home model needs refinement and can only be one part of the solution, not a substitute for policies promoting housing construction and homelessness prevention. More spacious units, private bathrooms, greenspace and comprehensive onsite services could help enhance quality of life. But securing ongoing funding from stretched municipal budgets will be a perennial challenge.

For cities like LA in crisis mode, tiny homes offer a something-is-better-than-nothing stopgap. But the clock is ticking to prove these “temporary” communities don’t become permanent standins for the affordable housing and services people truly need to rebuild their lives.

As the old adage goes, there are no tiny solutions to big problems. Tackling homelessness requires a holistic, well-resourced approach – something LA’s tiny home experiment has yet to achieve. At best, it’s an imperfect stepping stone toward the ultimate goal of secure, sustainable housing for all. I sincerely hope you find this “Can Tiny Homes Solve LA Homelessness Crisis? Find Out Here” article helpful.

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According to CBS NEWS, after a two-week trial, the Salt Lake City jury found Isong and Adegboruwa guilty on May 20 of federal charges including oxycodone distribution and money laundering. The illicit operation spanned from October 2016 to May 2019, generating millions in profits through sales on now-shuttered dark web marketplaces like Dream Market, Wall Street Market, Hansa and AlphaBay.

Cryptocurrency at the Heart of the Criminal Conspiracy

Prosecutors revealed that Adegboruwa, 54, ran online vendor pages under the aliases “King Odua” and “Alagbada726,” accepting cryptocurrency payments in Bitcoin and Ethereum. He would then convert the digital currencies into traditional fiat currency, enabling the criminal profits to enter the mainstream financial system.

The jury’s verdict against Adegboruwa carries severe financial penalties. He must forfeit over $15 million worth of cryptocurrency, $380,395.64 in cash, 26 money orders totaling $9,400 and a 2017 Dodge Charger valued at $15,500. Adegboruwa was convicted under the “kingpin statute” for organizing the criminal enterprise and overseeing at least five co-conspirators.

Intricate Logistics to Evade Law Enforcement

During the trial, Adegboruwa testified that he was the sole operator of the dark web vendor pages, directing his LA and Las Vegas accomplices to package and ship pills across the United States. Co-conspirators who had previously pleaded guilty provided testimony detailing the intricate logistics employed to sort, package and discreetly ship oxycodone pills to limit damage and avoid detection by law enforcement.

One customer even took the stand, recounting how they would order drugs online which would subsequently arrive at their home via USPS Priority Mail, illustrating the nationwide reach of the operation.

Severe Consequences and Interagency Cooperation

Isong and Adegboruwa are scheduled for sentencing in August 2024 and face severe penalties for their roles in the multimillion-dollar conspiracy. The case was investigated by the DEA, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and IRS Criminal Investigation Division with assistance from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program, which targets high-level drug trafficking organizations.

This conviction represents a significant blow against the flourishing underground trade of opioids and other illicit substances on the dark web. It exemplifies the collaborative efforts of federal agencies to combat the opioid epidemic and dismantle sophisticated criminal enterprises exploiting cryptocurrencies and encrypted online marketplaces to distribute deadly narcotics.

As digital technologies evolve, law enforcement must remain vigilant and enhance its capabilities to detect, investigate and prosecute those peddling addiction and suffering through these clandestine virtual channels. Victories like this case serve as a powerful deterrent and reinforce the commitment to holding dark web drug traffickers accountable for their actions. I sincerely hope you find this “LA Man Convicted in Utah Court for Massive Dark Web Opioid Ring-What’s The Story?” article helpful.

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Chan’s Role in Huizar Pay-to-Play Scheme

According to MSN, Chan, 67, was convicted in March on 12 federal felony counts tied to the high-profile pay-to-play corruption scandal involving ex-City Councilmember Jose Huizar. He was found guilty of conspiracy, honest services fraud, bribery and making false statements.

As a former general manager of the LA Building and Safety Department before becoming a deputy mayor, evidence showed Chan played a key role in Huizar’s criminal enterprise that traded favors to wealthy developers in exchange for illicit benefits.

More Time Sought for Mitigating Evidence

The sentencing had initially been scheduled for June 10th in LA federal court. However, Judge John Walter granted a four-month delay this week after one of Chan’s attorneys, John Hanusz, argued more preparation was needed.

In his request, Hanusz stated the defense team is still “gathering documentary evidence and letters from professional colleagues, friends, family, co-workers and other individuals to present to the court for consideration at sentencing.”

Huizar’s 13-Year Prison Sentence

Chan’s former co-conspirator Jose Huizar was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison last year after pleading guilty. The 55-year-old admitted using his position on the City Council to unlawfully enrich himself and associates through the sprawling criminal enterprise.

Stiff Penalties Possible for Chan

With Huizar receiving over a decade behind bars, Chan is likely bracing for a lengthy sentence as well when he returns to court this fall. Federal prosecutors are expected to advocate for serious punishment befitting Chan’s central role in facilitating bribery and corruption at LA’s highest levels of city government.

The delayed sentencing allows more time for Chan’s lawyers to compile mitigating factors and character evidence. However, the prospect of a major prison term still looms as the former deputy mayor awaits his ultimate punishment for betraying public trust. I sincerely hope you find this “Ex-LA Deputy Mayor Raymond Chan Sentencing Pushed to October – What’s the Reasoning?” article helpful.

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