Skid Row, Explained

The story of how Skid Row came to be

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Johnny Harris is a filmmaker and journalist. He currently is based in Washington, DC, reporting on interesting trends and stories domestically and around the globe. Johnny's visual style blends motion graphics with cinematic videography to create content that explains complex issues in relatable ways. He holds a BA in international relations from Brigham Young University and an MA in international peace and conflict resolution from American University.

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[huberth]

Im a Social worker for the homeless in Skid Row / SPA 4. Its a hard fight to assist this community. Thank you for shedding some light on the subject its really something people ignore.

[janakakumara]

I went to a food kitchen to volunteer one day at Skid Row. It was one of the most abusive experiences of my life. All the homeless try to do a one up power move on you, even though you are serving them. Somebody explained that these people have such a sense of powerlessness and feel looked down by everybody, that they try to assert dominance whenever they get a chance, even if it is in a dysfunctional situation as abusing the person giving you food.

[Megadextrious]

My dad was homeless on the streets of San Diego for the last 15 years of his life (since I was about 17). We had been out of contact for years until when I was 29/30 he finally reached out and we made peace. I met up with him to help him take care of some things, and I stayed a night on the street with him to see what his life was like. It was so heartbreaking, people treat you like literal garbage, nobody cares about anyone but themselves. I’m not making an excuse for my dad, but he was bi-polar, had major depression issues, and was a closeted homosexual. He broke his heel when he fell off a roof in his 30s(he was a roofer and later on a roofing supply salesman) and his leg had to be in a cast up to his hip; my mom said he was never the same after that.. He had diabetes and hepatitis, and was blind in one eye. He had been an alcoholic my entire life, and started using meth around the time I was 14. He was a college graduate, a successful man with a nice house and a big car for my sister and I, but he had too many demons and was too ashamed to admit his problems and seek help. To make a long story short, he jumped off a bridge in February 2019, just months after we had started a relationship again. It was his only way out from all the pain he endured for decades, both physically and emotionally. I had to pick up the pieces of his shattered life in the aftermath and it all was just… Traumatizing.

One of the things that really struck a nerve in myself and the rest of the homeless community, was the fact that there was **ONE** public bathroom in all of downtown San Diego, and yet, the city was spending millions to build a new stadium that it did not f*cking need.

[Graybeard_]

The term "skid row" came from Skidders Row. Skidders were loggers, specifically the loggers tasked with skidding (getting) the logs out of the woods in The Pacific Northwest. They were on the lowest rung on the ladder in the logging camps. When they got paid, they would head to the most decrepit and cheapest section of the nearby towns, the sections of towns with the cheapest bars, hotels and brothels. Soon these areas of towns took on the identity of the patrons that frequented there, skidders row. From there the term "skid row" (now shortened) was applied to the seedy, poor, decrepit sections of all towns/cities. Unfortunately, terms like these almost always become a label to create separation between the haves and the have-nots, the educated and the uneducated, the poor and everyone who is not as poor.

[adamigo]

How cites in America usually solve social poblems:
1. Identify the problem
2. Find the most dehumanising solution
3. Forget about the whole thing

[muldersimp]

This is actually way more terrifying than any story about dark powers or elevator games.

[samblackside]

As a LA resident, I just want to say thank you for approaching this topic with the empathy and sensitivity it deserves while also criticizing the city and it’s history. I feel like I see a lot of bad faith documentaries that demonize the city and the residents of skid row and I was a little hesitant to see this video. But seeing how you approached it, made me appreciate your approach and I love the awareness and truth you’ve brought to this topic. Thank you so much!

[kaned]

I work in DTLA, and on the few days that I drive in, I generally drive in through Skid Row. Early in the morning, as the city is waking up, I often see the folks who live there in tents taking care of their home. Sweeping the sidewalk, cleaning up the trash. It's a large population of people in a small space, and they're not a monolith. It's easy to write them off as drug addicts and criminals who want to live like that, but the issue is SO much more complex. These are real people. It's interesting to know the history.

[rofl.connoisseur]

You cannot even predict what Jonny is gonna upload that is how good he is

[NathanielChristopher]

Elisa Lam's parents have a restaurant in my neighbourhood and I remember seeing her there on a routine basis throughout her childhood. Her loss was a devastating blow to this community but the morbid fascination with the unusual manner of her death has, in a way, dehumanized her memory. Thank you so much for this dignified and sober approach to the setting of her death . In doing this you've taken the wind out of the sails of those prurient snake oil salespeople.

[AwokenEntertainment]

You honestly need to go to Skid Row to really gain a proper perspective of it..

[Nikimouse]

So this is really spot on. My best friend works for a homeless shelter in the heart of skid row, and I have volunteer a few times there. The policies you talk about are exactly what she and her colleagues talk about. It’s so shitty that LA let it fester cause homeless has exploded throughout the city. It’s now only a “problem” bc it’s spreading into West LA where all the rich people, and of course their solution is more cops and sweeps, which famously don’t get at the systemic issues of homeless. I am in the west LA area and we have a local homeless couple on our corner. Once the wife mentioned that while all the “soup kitchen” are in skid row and they could get food, it would be a death sentence to her. Lots of homeless people do not want to be locked into kid row bc they know it’s dangerous and hard to get out. She and her husband actually have jobs as well so they can afford food, but housing is too expensive, which it is. The median rent for in our area 1B/1B is $2633. My bf and I got lucky and found a rent controlled apartment.

[thememeestfilmbuff]

_It is haunted._

*Instead by the hauntings of systemic poverty.*

[microjigging]

As always, it's not a Johnny Harris video without a map.

[debbiedean]

Thank you for explaining the history of Skid Row. I had no idea about the deliberate boundaries ostracizing these people and deliberately keeping them from receiving the services of the rest of the city.
It’s absolutely despicable and inhumane.

[brittanylynn]

I was so disappointed by the Netflix doc. Thank you for this eye opening account on the surrounding area. My heart breaks for the people that society wants to forget. Something needs to be done to help those people.

[thangarajmj]

This guy makes videos on topics you can never expect. It's so random and yet crafted so well. #BORDERs

[madhujaashtaputre]

mind blown everytime he uploads a new video. Every topic is so unique, random and he just know how to tell a story.

[AlisterTate]

It’s really great that you’re shedding some light on this situation. Living in LA, the segregation issue can be pretty apparent, but it definitely seems like people who don’t live there or have never visited are completely unaware as to how deep this sort of thing goes in the city.

[Heda]

My grandpa was found dead on skid row in 1977. He lived in the Hotel Cecil and it does have dark energy. It’s full of sadness, addiction and poverty.