LOS ANGELES — Statistics in Los Angeles County show the methamphetamine crisis has reached its worst in county history.

In 2022, officials say meth contributed to 63% of all Skid Row deaths, but fentanyl overdoses surpassed that, increasing 1,652% between 2016 and 2022, according to the LA County Department of Public Health. 

Still, service providers say there are continued gaps when it comes to adequate funding to address this issue and temporary housing is just one small piece of the puzzle. 

A woman who goes by Bella told Spectrum News she has been living on the streets since she was a teenager and says she’s found more community on Skid Row than anywhere else.

But she says there’s no way to survive living there without something to cope. She says it’s what leads many who are homeless to a dependency on drugs.