Is L.A. making homelessness a crime?

It’s rough to be homeless in any city, but this week advocacy groups are saying to stay off the streets of Los Angeles, naming it the “meanest” city in the U.S. for homeless people.

The groups say new laws have made homelessness a crime and blame L.A.’s Safer City Initiative, which makes it illegal to sleep, sit or store personal belongings on sidewalks or public spaces. It also bars panhandling, begging and loitering.

Warm weather equals surge in homelessness

Many see summer as a time for vacations and lazy days under the sun, but the warm weather brings a slew of issues for poor families, including a growing number of families in homeless shelters.