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    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    Christine Curtiss lived on LA’s streets for years. Now she has her own apartment

    KCRW ran a four-part series called “Samaritans” last year, in which reporter Anna Scott followed Christine Curtiss, who had been living on the streets in Mid City for about eight years.

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    By Anna Scott • Apr 2, 2021 • 11m Listen

    KCRW ran a four-part series called “Samaritans” last year, in which reporter Anna Scott followed Christine Curtiss, who had been living on the streets in Mid City for about eight years. Then a group of neighbors started working with Curtiss and called on the county to help get her housed.

    For a whole year, Scott followed Curtiss as she tried to navigate LA’s needlessly complicated homeless services system. Over the course of four episodes, listeners learned how Curtiss was able to move to a group shelter in Hollywood. Her story showed why it’s been difficult to get people housed, even after voters approved measures that earmarked hundreds of millions of dollars for homeless housing and services.

    Curtiss’ story ended with a promise of permanent housing, which finally came through nearly a year later. Reporter Anna Scott gives this update.

    The full episode

    3 of 4
    Derek Chauvin trial week 1: Emotions ran high
    1. 0:00Derek Chauvin trial week 1 takeaways: An emotional witness stand and new footage
    2. 13:54US-Mexico border surge: Dangerous homelands might play bigger role than Biden immigration policy
    3. 23:22Christine Curtiss lived on LA’s streets for years. Now she has her own apartmentYou’re reading this
    4. 35:06'Concrete Cowboy’: Real horseback riders interact with actors seamlessly, says critic
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Anna Scott

      Former KCRW Housing and Homelessness Reporter

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Madeleine Brand

      Host, 'Press Play'

    • KCRW placeholder

      Sarah Sweeney

      Vice President of Talk Programming, KCRW

    • KCRW placeholder

      Angie Perrin

      Producer, Press Play

    • KCRW placeholder

      Michell Eloy

      Former Producer/Line Editor, Press Play

      NewsHomelessnessHousing & DevelopmentLos AngelesCalifornia

    The full episode

    3 of 4
    Derek Chauvin trial week 1: Emotions ran high
    1. 0:00Derek Chauvin trial week 1 takeaways: An emotional witness stand and new footage
    2. 13:54US-Mexico border surge: Dangerous homelands might play bigger role than Biden immigration policy
    3. 23:22Christine Curtiss lived on LA’s streets for years. Now she has her own apartmentYou’re reading this
    4. 35:06'Concrete Cowboy’: Real horseback riders interact with actors seamlessly, says critic
    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand