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Nestled on the Pacific Coast, in the southwest of the United States, Los Angeles, the City of Angels truly deserves its name. Perfect weather, endless beaches, and the famous California lifestyle. This magical place. You can't miss out on this. It's just so amazing. Its vibrant appeal makes it one of the most dynamic cities in America and the fifth most expensive city in the world. I'm the biggest fan.
I'm L.A.'s biggest fan. Number one fan. L.A.'s glamorous reputation is shaped by Hollywood, but that image hides another reality. A reflection of America's divided society. Today, Los Angeles County is split in two. To the west, near the coast. The ultra-wealthy who live in Santa Monica or Beverly Hills. To the southeast, cities like Carson, where the poor are crowded together in areas plagued by violence. This divide has worsened because of the skyrocketing cost of living, with an annual rate of inflation at 15% on consumer goods.
Life in L.A. is hard. Even if you're not homeless, it's so expensive in L.A. Some people are just one paycheck away, and some people are very close to being homeless down here. Housing prices are even worse, rising by 25% every year. The average rent for a 15-square-meter apartment is $2,000. Many workers now find themselves living in camper vans, like Roy, a 64-year-old mechanic who earns $2,000 a month. I've got pretty much everything. I've got a refrigerator in here. Right now it's not working, but I'm saving up to buy a new one, you know?
The city streets are filled with caravans, and this can create safety concerns. This morning, this last ARV was fully involved in fire. But others just see it as a business opportunity. Greg makes a lot of money from the 25 vehicles which he rents out all over the city. I don't really think too much of people that say that I'm taking advantage of people. To me, it's 30 less people that are sleeping on a sidewalk, 30 less people that are sleeping in tents. Other Angelenos, like Elvina, turn to shared housing. for people who have a job. but can't find a place to live. And people want to see that you can pay the rent six months later, because remember,
apartments want a year. If you just moved to L.A., maybe you don't have a job lined up yet, so how do you prove that you have income six months down the line? In the city's western districts, the lower classes are growing even poorer. Meanwhile, luxury real estate is fetching record prices. At the upper end of the market, mansions often sell for over $20 million U.S. dollars. As prices soar, Shelton Wilder, the queen of luxury real estate, can spend as lavishly as she pleases. It's gorgeous. All the celebrities are wearing it on the red carpet and in real life. Welcome to L.A., where people live in the same city but worlds apart from one another.
Here, the gap in living standards keeps widening. So what is life really like in Los Angeles today? One town in L.A. County has become a haven for the wealthy. Santa Monica, right on the Pacific Coast. An oasis of prosperity where every square meter fetches a premium price. Shelton has lived in the upscale Brentwood neighborhood for the past few years. This is her California dream. Are you a little tired?
You okay? Can I have a kiss? Mwah Good? Mwah Okay. Have fun Shelton Wilder is the CEO of a luxury estate agency. Three times a week she starts the day with her personal hair stylist at home, a Santa Monica standard routine. She does my hair and it makes me feel so much better about myself and gets me ready for the day and then I just feel more confident and.
Ready to go out there. Shelton is a mother of two boys and was born on the east coast of North Carolina. She set herself the goal to rank among the richest people in L.A., and she has succeeded. I usually wear dresses. I'm a big dress girl. Her dressing room reflects her success, filled with designer handbags and haute couture clothes. This is fun. This is like a vintage Chanel. The contents of this room alone are worth hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars.
I love beautiful things and I think I have nice taste. This is one of my favorites. This is Valentina. I wore this to an event. My Lady Shen event. The rich in L.A. are not shy. about displaying their wealth. Shelton had this spacious house built and furnished by an interior designer three years ago. But to keep this level of financial comfort, she's constantly on the phone, working seven days a week, 10 hours a day. I know that sounds crazy to some people, but this is just how I run my business. And I think it's really important in real estate to be able to be reachable.
and to be able to connect because there can be a time when someone reaches out and they want to look at a house, or they're ready to list their house, or my team needs me, my family needs me. So I am extremely reliable. At the age of 42, Shelton has become part of the L.A. aristocracy, and Santa Monica is her playground. Hi, I'm Shelton Wilder, and this is Katie Downing. And we are so proud to present. 1015 Victoria Avenue. She uses the internet to promote the numerous luxury houses that she represents. Each one is more breathtaking than the last.
The houses are all located to the west of the city near the Pacific coast. This is where the Hollywood stars live. There are a lot of celebrities that live here, like Steven Spielberg, and Ben Affleck used to live down here, but. He's since bought a house with J-Lo. Shelton sees her famous neighbors at every street corner, like today in that black car. It was Matthew McConaughey. I mean, just a casual day in L.A.
Shelton thought that she had seen it all until a few months ago when she added a home to her portfolio that surpasses anything she's ever seen before. It's a thousand square meters with seven bedrooms, 12 bathrooms, two state-of-the-art kitchens, a gigantic terrace overlooking a landscape garden. Second kitchen back there. This house built in 2022 is a classic example of a California millionaire's mansion. Retractable roof.
Even has a rain sensors. So if it starts to drizzle the retractable roof will close. They call it the well-being house. A haven that you will hardly ever need to leave. There is a fully equipped gym in the basement with a personal trainer. A highly exclusive service. This comes with your own private trainer. Brett Beck comes to your house once a week. for your sessions in your amazing gym. Then, when you're finished with your training session, ride on in to your yoga studio with your own Himalayan sea salt wall.
This extraordinary house is priced at $22 million, one of the most expensive properties on the coast. But even at this price, there is no shortage of interested buyers. Could be celebrities, could be people coming from a different area, different parts of the world. But I have found mostly that a home like this, it's a family of an executive that is looking just to have a really fun house, a place to be. They have multiple children. They want to have the home where everybody wants to come. Shelton sells this high-priced mansion in under 24 hours to a wealthy New York family.
The inflated prices at the luxury end of the real estate market leads to soaring prices throughout the city. This is the biggest problem in L.A. The cost of living has become exorbitant. Above all, the price of housing, which is rising at an unprecedented rate. Almost 2,000 U.S. dollars a month to rent a studio, twice as expensive as European capitals like Paris. If you want to rent even a modest house, that's at least $5,000. These sky-high rents put modest wage earners into a precarious situation. To get by, some Angelenos have made a radical shift in their lifestyle. In a northeastern suburb of L.A.
County, in this small garage, a man is facing up to the harsh realities of life in L.A. Roy has been working as a mechanic here for two years. Let's just see. We have it. At 64, he should have retired by now. But his pension of $1,300 per month doesn't leave him enough to live on.
We have to. And when you get retired, you're allowed to work part-time and collect a check, you know? You're allowed to because they know with this economy these days, you can't live off of the $1,300 to $1,600, you know? It's kind of tough. Thanks to what he earns from working here, Roy has $2,500 to live on, but that still isn't enough in Los Angeles. Washed up. So when he finishes his day. Hi, boss. Good morning. The mechanic doesn't have far to travel to get home from work.
He lives in this caravan attached to his car. Every evening, he drives out of the center of town to North L.A. and parks up next to the supermarket. This is where I call home, yes. This is Hamilton Street in the city of Doherty. I've been here about two years. Just a few months ago, Roy was sleeping on this sidewalk because he couldn't find a place to live even though he has a job. After two years of saving, he was able to buy this caravan, his very first home. I have a stove. Three burner top, have a conventional oven, microwave.
I can make a chicken in here. I got pretty much everything. I got a refrigerator in here. Right now it's not working, but I'm saving up to buy a new one, you know? He bought the trailer secondhand for $20,000, and it has all the comforts of home. Bathroom, bedroom, kitchen. Roy lives here alone. He has separated from the mother of his three children. I've got to feed my plants every day, you know.
He has been in and out of jail, and his life has been chaotic over the past 20 years. I'm on my couch and watch what we need. Long day work. This home on wheels has become his most prized possession. It's his guarantee that he won't have to sleep on the street. Life in L.A. is very, very hard. But again, I'll say this, I'll emphasize this. Life in L.A. could be what you want it to be.
L.A. is also a city of dreams. It's a city of angels. That's what it's called, the city of angels. Roy is not alone. Many Angelenos have chosen this solution, precarious as it is. The city streets have filled with camper vans in recent years. They already number almost 10,000. Parked up along certain main roads in residential areas to the east and south, such as Long Beach. The people inside are not travelers. They are working-class Californian employees unable to find housing. Although these caravans are officially illegal, the city authorities are overwhelmed and have come to tolerate them.
Some people have spotted a business opportunity. It's Monday morning in Reseda, a quiet neighborhood which is still not too expensive. Most of the residents are out at work and a group of friends are playing basketball. This is for the purse. Gregory is a new kind of real estate agent. At 38, he runs his business from home and it's doing very well. He just bought. this house for $764,000. All right, let's go. Come on. Gregory's business concept is simple. Rather than renting out apartments, he rents out camper vans.
He advertises them on the internet for a rent of $500 a month. The bed, the outside, the living room. He got the idea 10 years ago. He was struggling to make ends meet, and the rent on his apartment kept going up. He decided to save money by moving into a camping car. I moved into the back house studio. That was $700. And then every, it seemed like every month that went by, I was getting the rent raised $50, $100, And I was like, this makes no sense.
What gave me the idea was I was going through it in the beginning my own self. I was basically homeless. Like the prices were getting out of my reach. Gregory invested 5,000 euros in his first used motorhome, which quickly paid for itself. Then he bought a second and a third. Today, he owns 25 like this one, scattered all over the city. This is one of my bigger RVs. She's got two beds, one's a fold-out, one's in the back where the bedroom is.
Basically sleeping, you know, two sleeping areas, one seating area. This vehicle has seen better days. It's been continuously occupied by various rental tenants for five years. It's impossible to get in as it's currently occupied by a young woman who's gone to work. She is typical of Gregory's tenants, a working homeless person. The problem is working class people don't get paid living wages. Minimum wage is not a living wage. Even if you work full time, it's.
It doesn't equate to the amount of money you have to spend just to pay rent, let alone your food and your clothing, all the other stuff that you need. I don't really think too much of people that say that I'm taking advantage of people. I judge the results. To me, it's 30 less people that are sleeping on a sidewalk, 30 less people that are sleeping in tents. The housing crisis has made this American's fortune. He earns at least $15,000 per month in rents. This is his latest money spinner.
He is building nine mini-mobile homes, which are just 10 square meters each, with electricity, but no bathroom at the back of his garden. Gregory claims to have purely altruistic motives. This is basically like the next step to getting people out of the motorhomes, because it's still. a pain in the city. I'm also, you know, helping them get to it, the next step to their transition in life so they can also maybe get their own place, be more stabilized for people that wanted to buy into California but can't, you know, can't afford the million-dollar properties.
So it gives them a chance. Soon, Gregory will start renting out these micro-homes for $1,000 a month. In the United States, people have a way of turning a good cause into a business opportunity. But this massive influx of camper vans into the city can cause some serious safety problems. And some neighborhoods of Los Angeles are fighting back. In Playa del Rey, a sought-after neighborhood on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, the starting price for a small house is between $3 and $4 million. Now you say you go outside your door and you've got trash on the ground or.
Teresa. Lisa and Catherine are three mothers who have been brought together by a single issue. They're worried about the safety of their neighborhoods. The concerning thing is that you have to have an alarm. You have to set it. You have to have your cameras on. It's great to have a dog or several dogs that are barking. These homeowners are determined to preserve the exclusivity of their neighborhood and the beauty of the area. which is a protected nature reserve. So you can see the mountains, the snow-capped mountains, and then you can see the ocean, which is what L.A.
is known for. You can go snowboarding during the day, the same day that you can go surfing. You can surf in the morning and go snowboarding in the afternoon. But just a year ago, this lovely view looked very different. For four years, 60 camper vans took up residence here. Homeless people moved in during the pandemic and then didn't leave, creating a kind of ghetto. The media repeatedly broadcast footage of burning camper vans. When they are poorly maintained, they can catch fire very easily.
Easily, potentially causing the death of some tenants. People panicked in Playa del Rey. Rich homeowners didn't feel safe. Some inhabitants of the RV realized these houses were very desirable and started climbing up the bluff and were burglarizing the houses. Yeah. So that was obviously very troubling because I didn't feel safe in my own home and we're paying so much money to be in this amazing area that was so desirable and then now I have to. worry about these issues.
The campers were evicted six months ago, but these worried mothers are still concerned about maintaining the tranquility of their neighborhoods. So gorgeous. Does it really matter? I know we're finding a nice weather. The caravans have moved two kilometers away. The women blame the city's current Democratic mayor who favors these illegal settlements. You can pitch a tent and you can live there or you can park your RV. Right near the beach and live there. No property taxes, no cost to you.
You can't live here for free. None of us are allowed to live here for free. I mean, there's a solution that they enforce the laws that are already in the books, where there's no camping, no tenting, no parking overnight in all these places. Those are, I mean, we didn't have this problem before four or five years ago. It's 100% a political problem. If the cost of living continues to rise faster than incomes, the number of informal settlements in the middle of the city will continue to swell with wage earners. In the meantime, some residents are trying to find inventive and affordable solutions to the housing crisis, such as a project we found in Venice Beach.
The area is iconic with its promenade, palm trees, and spirit of freedom. The welcoming atmosphere attracted this young woman who was originally from Russia. Do you care which baby you get? I'll take this baby. Elvina, the brunette, is married to Ariane, who gave birth to their two sons, Atlas and Hercule, conceived by IVF. Are you ready to be free?
Yeah, you ready? One, two, go Elvina arrived in Los Angeles in 2002, and for years she struggled to find a home here in Venice Beach. There has to be solutions and housing first is a model. Sometimes they say, like, jobs first, but you can't get to work if you don't have a roof over your head and a shower. So housing has to be first. Her difficulty sparked an idea. She wanted to create new accessible housing in this city where everything is out of reach.
Just a few meters from the beach, 50 people live in this former church, which has been converted into accommodation. Good. Looks good. Thank you, Rosie. Elvina has created what's known as a pod share, a shared habitat. In these dormitories, 10 people live together for 50 euros a night or 1,500 euros a month. All expenses, such as cleaning, are included in the price. Yeah, thank you. It's like a little hotel, but you can, but you have to share with other people. But the location's great, the price is on point, and yeah, daily housekeeping,
and you don't have to worry about any price except for one base price that you pay, so it doesn't fluctuate, like depending on how much water you use or power, or if something breaks, like your washer, dryer, none of that cost comes on you. Elvina came up with the concept 10 years ago. She renovated a derelict building into a pleasant space with a communal kitchen. You're missing spoons, Modern showers and stylish bunk beds with space for everyone. Is she here now? No, he's not. Oh, that's the guy?
Yeah. That was his bed last night, though? Yeah, we heard about it. Sounds good. It's a solution to the housing problem, even though there isn't much privacy. But there are no income requirements for tenants here. No criminal record check and no outrageous security deposit, which is mandatory in other places. How many check-ins we got? Right now we have five more left. Five check-ins? Yeah. Awesome. And people want to see that you can pay the rent six months later. Because remember, apartments want a year.
They want a year commitment from you. And like I said, they want to see that you have a job. And if you just moved to L.A., maybe you don't have a job lined up yet. So how do you prove that you have income six months down the line? Elvina's Place is a solution for people who can't take all the boxes to get accommodation. It works like a youth hostel, but you can stay here for nights, months, or even years. Jeffrey has been living here for three years. He's got used to communal living, especially in this dormitory. This is a part of the pod share, and this is my space.
He keeps his tiny space meticulously organized. This 52-year-old man shares a sleeping space with nine other people, who don't all have the same standards. But the crowded space doesn't bother Jeffrey. The rent here is half that of most lodgings. It's only $1,500 a month. If you look outside of the pod share, it will range from $2,700 to $7,700 a month. It's a great deal that provides you with a great place to eat and sleep, and you can also spend time with others. It means Jeffrey can live in a safe neighborhood, although it is not central, which poses its own problems.
Time to go. Yes. Every day he goes to work at a supermarket on the other side of town. He can't afford a car, so he takes the bus, which is a one-hour journey. With a monthly pay of $2,400 a month, like many of the city's low-paid workers, his pay doesn't allow him to pay for a home of his own. It's becoming less and less of a middle class and more of a upper class and a lower class. And you, where are you? Well, that's a good question. Right now, I'm somewhere in between there. Jeffrey is saving up $200 a month thanks to living in shared housing.
He hopes to be able to afford a small apartment in a few years' time. But some tenants in this pot-share arrangement no longer have any hope of owning a home one day. Once a month, Elvina organizes a gathering with their permanent residents. Have you ever been to San Diego? No, I haven't. You haven't? I haven't been to the San Diego Podshare either. They like the Podshare spirit, the family atmosphere where they share everything.
It's good. It's cheese and noodles. Yeah, I stay here because, one, even though I can afford a hotel every night, it doesn't have the feeling of home. But what's really nice is the community here at Podshare. You actually get, like, roommates, you know, people who work. Maybe doing similar things, different things, having a community instead of just, you know, staying somewhere where you're by yourself. Since the pod share started 10 years ago, Elvina has seen it evolve alongside the changes in society. And it's funny because when I started pod share in 2012 was when we opened, the average night was three nights. Then,
and the average age group was like mid to late 20s, which was like my demographics. More people started using it as housing. It's not just a. transient space or 50-50 like it used to be and the age grew. We have a lot of people who are much older, you know, a lot of people that are much older now. Rather than just being a temporary solution, it has become a new way of life in Los Angeles. Elvina runs eight pod shares throughout California, providing homes for 200 people.
Meanwhile. Far from the housing issues faced by Los Angeles' working class, 40 kilometers to the west, we are in wealthy Santa Monica. Shelton has found a moment in her hectic schedule to go shopping with a friend. As you know, they have some of the best clothes in town. My favorite. Your favorite? Yeah. My favorite.
I'm pushing you because I know you like to stay in your box. I know. Time to get out of the box, baby. Of the Charlotte outfit. Yes. Nicole is a personal shopper, a private stylist who helps Shelton to stay on trend for her life in Los Angeles. There's a couple outfits that I'm feeling for you. The first, it's so fun because. Oh, polka dots. Polka dots, there's pleats on the sides. So fun, OK. Nicole charges Shelton $3,000 twice a month for her help with personal shopping.
She has around 20 customers like Shelton, so her business brings in around $60,000 every month. How do you feel about all this color? Fabric. No, it's stunning. Yeah. In Shelton's eyes, Nicole's advice is essential. Shelton sells multimillion-dollar mansions all year round. I feel it's imperative to have an incredible outfit to sell a home. I think it really shows who you are, that you care about the property, that you care about yourself, and that you care about your clients.
What do you think of this? I actually love it. Nothing says California sunshine like a little cantaloupe terrycloth. Let's do it. Oh my gosh, it feels amazing. Okay, you want to try? This type of boutique stocks designer clothes at sky-high prices, from $700 to over $10,000. The thing about L.A. is we have an irreverence that Europe doesn't have. We can wear a pair of sweatpants like the Balenciaga show and do it in such a way. where the world's looking at us and all eyes are on us for style.
Shelton spares no expense to turn heads. In Los Angeles, every stage of the day demands a different outfit, and preferably an expensive one. Very good. I want to step on you. So it's absolutely beautiful. How do you feel? I mean, I'm not used to wearing anything. She starts by trying on this short suit priced at $9,000. I feel very powerful. Powerful, feminine. Okay. This shopping trip will quickly mount up a staggering bill.
I just feel very elegant. I feel like it's timeless. This pink suit is worth $12,000, the price of a small car. It's a drop in the ocean to Shelton, who earns at least $6 million a year. Her personal shopper thinks it's a great investment. We invest. We invest in our homes. We invest in our cars. We invest in a great outfit because we know we can wear it forever. Yes. Next, Nicole convinces Shelton to invest in this $10,000 black evening gown. You need a man. Yeah. It's gorgeous. And just look how pretty your skin looks. And the black just highlights all your natural beauty. And they aren't stopping there.
These jewels are diamonds and opals. Pure Hollywood glamour. It's a very classic L.A. look. All the celebrities are wearing it on the red carpet and in real life. And so it's always good to have this perfect black dress, ready to go with your gorgeous jewels. That I could wear all the time as well, not just on the red carpet. In this one afternoon shopping trip, Shelton spends $80,000. She gives Nicole her bank card to pay for the clothes and take them home. I am so busy, as you know, and I would rather be home with the kids.
I don't want to be waiting around doing anything. She will have the clothes tailored, brought to my home, and I'll just have to put it on and wear it. It makes my life so much easier. Okay. Thank you. Bye. It's an ordinary day for Shelton. The 40-something enjoys her social status. As she knows, in L.A., fortunes can change without warning. Downtown in the historic business district of Los Angeles, shiny skyscrapers and trendy restaurants are clustered together in the Korean district. But just two blocks away,
there are vast slums. An area called Skid Row. Thousands of homeless people are crammed into makeshift shacks. They are here because of the good weather and the $300 benefit from the state of California. 45,000 people are homeless in Los Angeles, the largest homeless population in the USA. It's lucky they have a good Samaritan watching over them. Anybody else getting a haircut? James Curtis is 33 years old. This former drug addict lived on the street on Skid Row for several months.
Every Sunday, he comes to the park to offer the homeless a very valuable service. A free haircut. What are you getting done? Everything? Yeah. Okay. The idea came from me not having enough money to bring food out here. So I just came out here and started giving out free haircuts to the homeless. Just hold on to it, okay? Yeah, in case somebody else comes, it's very important because haircuts, it gives them a sense of confidence, you know?
It makes them feel good when they can step out of the chair and go about their day. And when you feel better, you do better, you know? Damien is a regular. He's been homeless for 10 years and he never misses a hairdressing session with James. Your top's gonna get fixed. He's the only one allowed to touch his hair. My brother used to cut my hair. He passed away. That's the only person that cut my hair, but I trust Mr. James.
He's never did me wrong. Try to do like a detox. A haircut costs over $25 in Los Angeles. It's impossible for a homeless person to afford it. You want it lower or that's good? Perfect. Perfect? All I got to do is put conditioner on top. You good? It's true. Till next time, man. Yeah, thank you, James. You're welcome. I appreciate that. It's a blessing. He comes, he makes sure everybody's sufficient.
He makes sure. I've seen it for months since I've been down here. He makes sure everybody's okay. More than just a haircut, James offers consideration and well-being. In addition to his barbering services, James also organizes food distributions every Sunday. On any given day, around 300 people line up. Families, the elderly, immigrants who have come to America in search of a better life. Hey, bro, we're talking clearly. Are you going to laugh? We don't have clothes, mom. How many families didn't die and wanted to reach the American dream? And the American dream for one, we already know it and we're regretful, we want to return it.
Well, in reality, I have my family, I have my son, my two children. Well, I come with a goal, I come to help my children, help my mom, my family. But here I'm putting my heart into it and well. All over Southern California, the homeless population is growing rapidly, so they definitely need the resources down here. Having been homeless himself, James never forgets that anyone here can be hit by circumstances that push them into a precarious situation.
This is the reality of L.A. This is real L.A. And when you come here and you see it, you'll never forget it, you know. Life in L.A. is hard, even for those, even if you're not homeless, it's so expensive in L.A. You know, some people are just one paycheck away, some people are very close to being homeless down here. Addiction is the biggest problem for these marginalized people. It is estimated that 90% of the city's homeless are drug addicts, and the situation is worsening with the emergence of a new drug that is wreaking havoc.
Thousands of people kill over like zombies addicted to a drug that's meant for animals. They call it the zombie drug. It's a new drug based on xylosine, a veterinary anesthetic. It can lead to cardiac arrest and irreversible limb necrosis and has spread throughout the United States, including the streets of L.A. The city's medical services are on the front line.
Everybody good? All good. Daniel is a volunteer street doctor offering free consultations to the homeless. In his mobile medical practice, he's been helping people on the street for three years, and he's seen a surge in the number of homeless. So it doesn't rain too often, it doesn't get too cold, it doesn't snow, but also doesn't get too hot either. So it makes it a little more attractive, I think, to people who are homeless and living on the street. This massive influx has forced the city of L.A. to take action to support people. Daniel makes sure that everyone on the street has access to a medical checkup, especially drug addicts.
How you doing, partner? Everything all right? Good. Again? One more time. Another barrier is just kind of anxiety and not feeling comfortable coming into a hospital or coming into a clinic. They just kind of don't go and hope that whatever the problem is just goes away. Since the late 2010s, most homeless people have been hooked on fentanyl, a highly addictive opioid which is also very cheap. at around three or four dollars a dose. The problem is that recently drug dealers have been cutting fentanyl with the infamous animal tranquilizer xylosine, creating a dangerous cocktail that has led to a surge in new diseases.
Yeah, come on over, man. Come on over. Just be careful. There's like dog shit right there. This man, Nick, for example. He's been living on the streets for a year and a half. He suffers from recurrent skin infections. You want to take your shoe off or I'm going to get it all wet. His leg is suffering from a very serious infection. Daniel gives him an antibiotic injection every week to try to heal. heal the wound, but the disease runs deeper. The drug xylosine has created what doctors call tissue ischemia, which is a lack of blood flow to the skin.
Oh, shit. Sorry. You good? Often the only way to cure the drug-induced necrosis is through amputation. Narcan is the antidote to fentanyl in the event of overdose and is distributed free of charge to the homeless along with other medications. Narcan can be inhaled through the nose. Nick has taken it before, but while it saves your life, it doesn't prevent addiction. Despite repeated overdoses, Nick keeps relapsing. For the past six months, he hasn't even had a tent to sleep in. Two were stolen, two were burnt down to the ground, and.
Two was slashed to the point where you couldn't use them anymore. I have great hope, and I'll overcome anything. But my. This is another world that I'm not used to at all. Man, I never thought that somebody could be in so much pain. There are many shattered lives just like Nick. Daniel has seen dozens of them on the streets of Los Angeles. Part of it is the cost of living has gotten to be much more expensive here.
Unfortunately, there are so many people who are living just right on the edge of their means. Maybe some small or some big event happens, pushes them over the edge. Between the drug epidemic and the outrageous cost of living, Everyday life can be extremely tough in L.A., especially for residents of the South Side, where a bloody gang war has been raging for years. The two areas most affected, Carson and Compton, are separated by Highway 405. In 2023, there were 8,000 burglaries and 12,000 carjackings. With so much crime, These predominantly black suburbs are the poorest in the county.
House prices are around 500 euros per square meter. P-Dawg, a rapper who belongs to one of L.A.'s most dangerous gangs, grew up here in Carson. What's up, bro-bro? What's up? What's in here, man? What's in here? We got some shit tonight. At the age of 14, P-Dawg's life changed completely. he witnessed the murder of one of his friends here on this very street. They killed Ant Dog right here, and I saw his mom holding him right here. It was very traumatic. At that moment, I decided to gangbang.
I felt like living here, they were going to shoot at me. Carson City has one of the most powerful gangs in Los Angeles, the Bloods in Red, who are in a longstanding gang war with the Crips in Blue from neighboring Compton. Since the 1980s, you They've been waging a merciless war for control of the drug trade. Street brawls like this video from 2023 claim dozens of lives every year. P-Dawg says he's never killed anyone, but he's done several stints in prison for theft and drug trafficking.
They grew up in this little house with about 50 people. And this little park where they often came close to death. I used to sit here every day and talk to my wife. Every day. It's been plenty of times we've been shot at through that gate right there. L.A. is turning back to the wild, wild west. People don't fight anymore. If somebody has an issue with you, they will kill you. At the end of the day, as dusk falls, the tension starts to rise.
We can be here as long as we want to, but. You know, it's getting dark, and this ain't the same place as it is when it gets too dark, you know? Out here, if you're not paying attention, you will get killed, or you will get shot at any moment. You always have to. You always have to watch your back every second. P-Dawg recently decided to move further north to keep his family safe. Over 5,000 residents like P-Dawg move away from this area every year. That's right.
Yeah, we good back here. Get off that front line. You could kick me some, like, anything, man. I'm just gonna ride, man. There we go. Love. Medea told me that we wasn't equal in life. I thought we was lower. She told me baby. We growers we built like that Even people who aren't gang members can get caught in a shootout I got shot four times in the back one time in the face and in my hand you feel me, but I'm here I'll be filming and like and I'm a non-affiliate you feel me.
I don't even game According to P-dog the situation is set to get even worse the gap between the people living in these ghettos and the wealthy on the West Coast is widening all the time. It's in L.A. You got a lot of people with money and a lot of people doing really bad. And the people doing bad, they do whatever it takes to survive. A violent crime increased by 10 percent between 2019 and 2023 in the City of Angels. Further west, just 35 kilometers away, Way up in Santa Monica, Shelton Wilder is in her dream home far away from all these problems.
Guys, what do you want to do? We're going to watch movies. Movies, and then what about this? Play. The real estate agent takes a family break with her husband Clark, a successful lawyer, and her two children, Beau 10 and Lane 8. Butcher, butcher. I love you. Butcher, a hole. Here you go. They are the picture of a perfect Californian family. Hey, what do you think about L.A.? It's great. It's so good. It's amazing. Do you always want to live here? Yes. Yet Shelton's life in Los Angeles has not been an easy one.
Her family was far from wealthy, and she arrived alone and penniless in California in 2003. She enjoyed dazzling success, but soon fell into serious addiction problems, and it was all downhill from there. I lost everything, went bankrupt, and had to get sober and stop drinking. And I really feel that I've been able to change my life and build, yeah, kind of my dream life. We were able to create this here in L.A. A fairy tale with a happy ending. Shelton now has no problem making ends meet.
On Santa Monica Beach, Shelton has dressed the part to play lacrosse in the sun. A typical Californian lifestyle. This beach is popular with the wealthy residents of Santa Monica. Drugs, crime, and poverty are not an issue here. Oh, woo It's so fun to do stuff together. It's a rare moment of relaxation for Shelton, whose property business has turned into an empire.
Her real estate agency is now worth a massive $370 million. The phoenix will rise, and we are here and doing amazing and luxury real estate, and I just think it's really about your mindset and your. Your positivity. No She's one of a kind, my wife. And she's an incredible mom. She's an incredible partner. She's an incredible friend. I'm really lucky.
In her own perfect world, Shelton sees only the good things about L.A. A unique city where she believes anything is possible as long as you think positive. So many people are saying negative things about L.A. Yes, it can be hard. The price of living here is very high, and the price of the homes have gone up dramatically. But if you can make it work and get to live here, it is one of the most magical places in the world. I mean, I'm the biggest fan. I'm L.A.'s biggest fan, number one fan. But even now, Shelton knows that time is money. Oh my God, I have like 40 texts in one hour. So yes, back to work. But look, I can work right here on the beach.
See? It's a great life. After an hour with her family, Shelton heads off to meet a new client, a wealthy businessman from Chicago who wants to move to Santa Monica. Demand for luxury real estate in Los Angeles has never been so high and prices continue to rise going up by over 30% in five years. On the other side of the county, Roy the mechanic is getting used to his new life in the trailer. Breakfast, laundry, first. Get up, have my coffee, McDonald's. Have me a couple of sandwiches, McDonald's. Have my coffee or my juice.
Usually sometimes I have good juice and I have extra money. But they're expensive, as you can see. Like $6 for this, but it's good for me. And when Roy goes to the laundrette, he always takes his mobile home with him because he is too afraid of it being seized. Always following me. She's hooked up to me. We're connected at the rear. If I were to unhook it, put it down, the police sees it, they call tow truck, take it away.
My truck is jealous. I used to live in my truck. Now my truck is starting to get used to it, you know, but it is what it is. Roy travels a few miles to the suburbs, to this shopping mall where many other people who live in mobile homes come to wash their dirty laundry. So everything is you. It's good. All right. Wonderful. Phil is 61 years old and has lived in a van for 10 years. Because I cannot afford to live in an apartment, it's too expensive. So that's it.
I'm saving money and maybe one day I'll be able to afford a mobile home, something. But right now everything is good. Phil has come to realize that an RV is the best housing solution for him. So has Roy. who after years of sleeping on the streets feels he's finally had a breakthrough. I have some croissants and coffee now. You know I get my coffee every morning, but I'm going to treat you to some coffee and croissants. In recent months, he has even been trying to reconnect with his son Dominic.
He struggled for years to keep up with his role as a father due to his alcohol addiction and run-ins with the law. His mother took him away from me. Because I was supposedly a bad dad, right, Mio? But you know, you're my son, I love you, and that's all that matters, right? Yeah. All that matters right now, the here and the now, right, Mio? From how far he's came, yeah, he's shown a lot more improvement. So I can say, percent, full of growth. That's right, dog. I know if I fall back one more time, I'm going to die. I'm going to die in the streets. I told God last night, you know, thank you, Lord.
I know for a fact I'm not going to die in the streets. I'm going to die in my bed. But I'm going to have a place where they can find me. I don't want them to say, oh, there's a foul loader behind that trash can, you know, seven days later. That's what usually happens to us. Roy has been sober for a year and a half, and now he just wants to live a normal life. Most people would take a trip to the laundrette for granted, but not Roy.
It means no longer being homeless and excluded. I do everything normal people do, whatever it is. I work. I rest, I eat, I shower, I wash clothes, I clean my house, you know, I watch TV, I read my Bible, I talk to people, I help people the best I can. I don't have a home. That's the only difference. Roy understands his own situation all too well. Here in the City of Angels, he'll never be able to afford to buy or even rent a house. He's been saving up for the past few months to buy a permanent spot on a campsite. It's the only way he'll be able to set up his caravan safely and finally have a fixed address in Los Angeles.
