October 01, 2015

 

LAWT News Service 

 

 

The Los Angeles City Council has stepped up its efforts to solve homelessness by declaring the epidemic an emergency, which will potentially allow the city to leverage additional resources including federal dollars to combat the issue. In conjunction with elevating the status of the issue city leaders are also dedicating up to $100 million for use in battling the growing number of homeless individuals and families. The first drawdown of the funds are expected January 1, 2016.

 

 A motion submitted by L.A. City Council President Herb Wesson and members of the city’s Homelessness and Poverty Committee approves up to $100 million to be spent on services for the homeless specifically prioritizing permanent supportive housing and shelter. The motion also calls on the Chief Administrative Officer and the Chief Legislative Analyst to work with the Homelessness and Poverty Committee to identify ways to leverage the investment to ensure an ongoing revenue stream to support the program.

 

“Craving protection from the elements is a basic human instinct and as a moral society we have an obligation to provide shelter for the shelterless,” said Wesson. “Today we step away from the insanity of doing the same thing and hoping for different results and instead chart our way to ending homelessness in Los Angeles.”

 

The Los Angeles region has seen an uptick in the number of homeless individuals and families over the last several years. A biennial report released by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority found more than half of Los Angeles County’s overall homeless population were living in the city of Los Angeles. Countywide, 44,359 homeless people were tallied in January, up from 39,461 in a 2013 survey.

Category: Community