Inside LA's Homeless Industrial Complex

At 17, Gustavo Otzoy emigrated from Guatemala to Los Angeles, where he was held in immigrant detention for nearly three weeks. On his first day free, he explored Echo Park Lake—16 acres of grass, paths, and palm trees, an expansive body of water, a pristine view of the downtown skyline. Nearly 40 years later, now a U.S. citizen, Otzoy found himself heading back to the park. He’d just been released after serving a yearlong sentence in prison. He couldn’t return to the home he’d once owned in Palmdale, because he’d sold the deed to raise funds for a lawyer in his case. It was a hurried handshake deal, and the buyer had never fully paid him. Gripping his gold crucifix necklace, he got on his bicycle and rode to Echo Park Lake. He was, of course, afraid. He’d never been homeless before. Read Full Article »