Los Angeles Times

A place to go — 4 days a week

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Re “L.A. adds more public toilets as homelessne­ss problem grows,” Dec. 5

What are we teaching our children when they see how homeless people live?

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and other officials are shown celebratin­g the opening of a trailer equipped with eight toilets and six showers that will be available for skid row residents to use four days a week, and only during the daytime. That means these toilets and showers will be closed every night and for 24 hours three days a week.

Thus, the new toilets and showers will spend more time closed than open. Where is the humanity in that? Julie Lie

Long Beach The writer is a member of the Long Beach Homeless Advisory Committee.

Congratula­tions, Los Angeles. The additional skid row bathrooms are a needed and wise accommodat­ion to the housing shortage and hepatitis concern.

Anti-poverty activist General Dogon is right: This is not enough. The mayor is also right: It is a very important step and signifies a change in the city’s attitude. Housing continues to be the answer, the goal and the correct humanitari­an response.

Bravo, L.A., you have done the right thing. Robin Doyno

Los Angeles The writer is a member of the Mar Vista Community Council’s Homeless Solutions Committee.

The new toilet facilities on skid row will be open only four days a week? Human beings can feel nature’s call at any time of any day of the week.

If the people on skid row can’t use a toilet, they will urinate and defecate on the street. With increasing droughts and winds predicted for Los Angeles, all people in this city can expect to be affected by the noxious stink of failed public policy.

City officials should find the resources and political will to get people who are homeless into housing now. Marsha Temple

Los Angeles The writer is executive director of the nonprofit Integrated Recovery Network.

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