In the U.S., the government provides a variety of assistance programs. Many of these programs are designed to provide temporary, not permanent, assistance. However, the design of many of the programs does not provide a path to self-sufficiency and, in fact, may financially punish people as they become more self-sufficient. This is even more dire in poor countries. RESPOND Question 1: The US with a GDP of over $25 trillion is the country with the largest economy. California has a GDP of $3.5 trillion [This puts the state as the 4th largest economy in the world ahead of India at $3.4 trillion and UK at $3.1 trillion]. Los Angeles GDP is $950 billion (19th largest in the world and higher than Turkey at $905 billion and Switzerland]. Why do we have over 46,260 people homeless in LA and 175,500 in California? What are the factors leading to homelessness and what actions can government take to mitigate the number of homeless? Question 2: Why are countries like Haiti, Somalia, South Sudan, Burundi, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo so poor while others like San Marino, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Singapore, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates as well as Macao