Homeless

October 6, 2008

Economic chaos creates surge in homelessness

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts (AP) — The number of homeless families in Massachusetts has surged — a spike that has overwhelmed the state’s shelter capacity and forced it to again place homeless families in motels.

Driving the increase is the sour economy, rising energy costs, escalating unemployment and shortage of affordable housing. For the first time, the state is tracking how many families are winding up homeless due to foreclosures.
“You’re seeing a perfect storm,” said Robyn Frost, executive director of the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless.

Homeless Man Speaks
The word from the street

August 8, 2008:

FBI: LA hospitals used homeless in medical fraud

LOS ANGELES — For hundreds of homeless people, posing as phony hospital patients provided them a clean bed and cash. For the hospitals that processed them, it meant a full patient-load and a paycheck from the government.

3 Southern California hospitals accused of using homeless for fraud

By Cara Mia DiMassa, Richard Winton and Rich Connell,
Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
August 7, 2008

On a Sunday afternoon two years ago, five homeless people being dropped off on Los Angeles’ skid row by an ambulance caught the attention of police officers.

The officers videotaped what they thought was a case of hospitals dumping patients in a section of the city where few would notice or care.