Former President Barack Obama addressed the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles, describing the situation as a moral failure in a wealthy nation and calling for policies that combine compassion with practical solutions.
Speaking about conditions in the city, Obama said the issue demands both ethical clarity and political realism.
“The same would be true. Let’s say here in Los Angeles, around the homeless issue, I think morally, ethically speaking, it is an atrocity that in a country that’s wealthy, we have people just on the streets, and we should have a We should insist on policies that recognize their full humanity people who are houseless and be able to provide them the help and resources that they need,” Obama said.
He argued that efforts to address homelessness must acknowledge both the needs of those living on the streets and the concerns of the broader public.
“but we should also recognize that the average person doesn’t want to have to navigate around a tent city in the middle of downtown,” Obama said.
Obama suggested that public support for increased funding and services depends on presenting a strategy that balances compassion with visible order.
“and that we’re not going to be able to build a working majority and support for the resources that we need to help folks like that, whether it’s drug treatment or temporary housing or what have you, we’re not going to be able to generate support for it if we simply say, You know what, it’s not their fault, and so they should be able to do whatever they want, because that’s a losing political strategy,” he said.
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Obama’s remarks focused on the need to craft policies that both provide assistance and maintain public confidence, arguing that political sustainability is essential to addressing homelessness at scale.
The comments come as Los Angeles continues to face scrutiny over rising homelessness and visible tent encampments in parts of the city, with officials debating how to balance outreach, enforcement, housing development, and public safety concerns.
Obama framed the issue as one requiring both moral urgency and practical political judgment, stressing that successful policy must win broad public support in order to secure the resources needed for long-term solutions.