Welcome to Episode 3 of the Sweet Urchin Podcast.
We will discuss the shock factor of what Los Angeles is today. I welcomed my guest, JozieXP, who I’ve known for 14 years.
los angeles today
Certain areas within Los Angeles became gentrified over the years. The Art’s District is now popping with breweries and hip restaurants. However, I would not park my car on the streets; I’d opt for paid parking in the lots or structure.
Homelessness became a wide-spread concern throughout Los Angeles. We used to feel more comfortable walking through downtown. Now, you have to watch where you’re stepping.
LA is expensive, whether it’s rent, mortgage, sales tax, gas, and lifestyle. There is a huge disparity between the pay wage and the cost of living. It’s not easy to decide to move to a different state. We also talked about Erewhon and their $20/gal of raw milk. Gas was $6.69/gal last week in LA, but $3.00 something in Iowa. Either way, we think both prices are expensive from the respective city’s perspective.
We went to Beverly Hills in January 2023, which was a shock factor because there were tents lined up, we couldn’t tell where we were.
Hopefully LA doesn’t become like San Francisco where people are breaking into cars. People in Iowa or other states feel safe to the point where they would leave their cars and doors to their homes unlocked.
LA Beaches restrooms are now being occupied as “living spaces”.
crime
There have been a lot of thefts and break-ins recently.
- Irwindale bike shop closing due to $40,000 worth of stolen goods.
- Yves Saint Laurent ransacked.
- HRB Experience vandalized.
- You can also check out my blog post on HRB Experience!
- Stolen truck from driveway during police chase.
sense of community
When Jozie’s car broke down in Iowa, there were people who were willing to help right away. LA could never; people are too scared of the potential risks, such as being robbed or assaulted from good intentions, or just minding their own business.
There are great non-profit organizations in LA that helps those in need:
street vendors & small businesses
We have so much respect for street vendors; they have the hustle mindset to be self-sustaining. Unfortunately, there have been reports in recent times where street vendors have been assaulted and their stands are vandalized.
It comes down to respect. We need to respect each other.