Staff Reports
Los Angeles is the subject of another political debate — and this time it’s getting picked apart on national stages. Ben Shapiro’s new Daily Wire video, “LA’s Collapse Wasn’t An Accident,” argues that the city’s decline is the result of deliberate policy choices and the politics that keep those choices in place. He’s not alone in asking why people leave, why homelessness remains visible, and why city budgets groan under the strain. The data is messy, but the political question is simple: who gets blamed when big-city policies fail?
Why the population loss matters
The U.S. Census Bureau’s Vintage 2025 numbers show Los Angeles County lost more residents than any county in the nation — roughly fifty-three to fifty-four thousand people. That is not a mystery; numbers don’t have opinions. Falling population feeds the very problems Shapiro flags: shrinking tax bases, higher per-person costs for services, and painful budget trade-offs. Housing costs and a national slowdown in international migration play a role, but municipal choices also matter. If you charge more and deliver less, people vote with their feet — and that appears to be happening in L.A.
Crime and homelessness: a mixed picture
No responsible observer should ignore nuance. The Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority’s 2025 count shows some measures of homelessness moving down, which is good news and worth measuring. At the same time, homelessness remains a highly visible crisis across the region. Crime data is complicated too: the LAPD reports a roughly 19 percent drop in homicides and calls 2025 one of the lowest per-capita murder years since the 1950s. So the “total collapse” headline is sloppy. But improved homicide numbers don’t erase the quality-of-life problems that drive headlines and people away — open drug use, tent encampments, and property crime still sap confidence in neighborhoods and downtown commerce.
Policy choices and political responsibility
Shapiro’s point is a political one: policy is not accidental. Los Angeles votes overwhelmingly Democratic, and that coalition has favored certain criminal-justice reforms, housing rules, and budget priorities for years. Critics say soft-on-crime stances and permissive encampment policies have made matters worse. Defenders point to Mayor Karen Bass’s budget proposals and insist the city is investing in homelessness services and public safety. Mayor Karen Bass’s office claims the budget “makes investments to continue our progress on critical challenges,” which is the expected answer. But words don’t restore businesses or bring back lost residents. Voters should ask whether the policies match the results they want.
What comes next: accountability and practical fixes
There are real policy steps worth debating: clearer enforcement of public-safety laws, targeted housing solutions that move people from tents into stable placements, and fiscal restraint so essential services aren’t cannibalized by long-term obligations. If Los Angeles wants to stop being shorthand for urban decline, local leaders must show measurable progress — not just press releases. Ben Shapiro is right to force the conversation about political responsibility, even if the full story includes data that complicate his thesis. At the end of the day, whether you agree with his tone or not, the voters who keep electing the city’s leaders owe themselves honest answers and real results.
