During her State of the City address on Monday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass made a heartfelt plea to the city's most fortunate, urging them to contribute to housing solutions for the homeless. She emphasized a proactive approach, stating, "We will not hide people but what we will do is house people." With over 40,000 homeless individuals in Los Angeles, Bass described the situation as nothing short of a disaster.
Bass highlighted the success of the Inside Safe program, which has already moved over 21,000 homeless individuals into temporary shelters. She believes that by continuing to move homeless individuals into temporary housing, the city can eventually end the homelessness crisis. However, she acknowledged the costliness of this endeavor and called on the wealthy to help expedite housing purchases for the homeless.
To fund these efforts, Bass announced the launch of a new capital campaign, LA4LA, aimed at acquiring more properties, lowering the cost of capital, and speeding up housing. She emphasized that addressing homelessness is crucial for the city, as it affects everyone, driving away businesses and customers, straining city resources, and creating safety concerns.
Bass emphasized that the success of the new program depends on the humanity and generosity of the private sector. LA4LA represents a significant shift in how Los Angeles addresses homelessness, aiming to disrupt the status quo and save lives.
Despite the billions of dollars spent on homelessness in the region and the implementation of various programs, the number of homeless individuals continues to rise. Factors such as evictions and the end of COVID-19 aid for low-income households contribute to this increase. In 2023, more than 75,500 people were considered homeless countywide, with about 46,200 in the city alone, representing increases of 9% and 10%, respectively, from the previous year.
Recent developments highlight the urgency of the homelessness crisis in Los Angeles. A coalition of business owners and residents filed a lawsuit against the city, alleging that it failed to honor its 2020 settlement agreement to build thousands of shelters and clear homeless encampments. Additionally, the Los Angeles City Council agreed to pay an outside firm $2.2 million to audit its homelessness programs following a request by a federal judge.
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