7% of Occupy L.A. Population Is Homeless, Restrictions Vex Food Tent

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Occupy L.A.'s tent city is considered a temporary "home" to many occupiers. But to some, the City Hall grounds are another shelter in the nomadic life of homelessness. Social workers are stepping in this week to provide services to the small percentage of the 99% who are chronically sans abode.

Sources refer to the homeless population at Occupy L.A. as an "influx," and according to CBS LA, about 7% of the campers are homeless.

The local movement does not turn anyone away from the grounds or from free meals at its food tent, but organizer Darren Danks says the group is undecided as to whether or not they should serve meals only to those actively serving the camp.

In other food-related Occupy L.A. news, culinary groups who have served the movement, like the culinary program at Santee High School, have been targeted by L.A. County health inspectors. On November 11, the L.A. County Health Department restricted certain types of food at the Occupy L.A. food tent. Under the new limitations, Occupy L.A. "cannot serve any unwrapped hot or cold food that was not prepared in a certified kitchen, though it can continue to distribute commercially prepackaged food."

Mud Baron, a regular contributor to LAist and winner of the 2011 Green Shorty Award, suggested a smart solution: grant Occupy L.A. access to its own cooking space. He noted that “nothing that’s happening is business as usual," adding, "If we had a space donated for one or two months, it would be harder for them to come at us."