A motion introduced by Councilmen Mike Bonin and Marqueece Harris-Dawson is asking for the Los Angeles City Council to work with other organizations and provide housing for all homeless peoples in the greater Los Angeles area.
The motion plans to tackle the large (and growing) population of homeless people living on the streets. As of 2017, the greater Los Angeles homeless count found that 57,794 people were without shelter.
LA city officials have considered motions in the past to tackle this issue as the number of homeless in 2017 is up 23% from 2016. According to CBS Local, the high number is due to overcrowding in the city causing housing shortages and spikes in rent.
Just last month, the council approved placing around 60 homeless people into trailers. The trailers would reside in downtown lots on Arcadio and Alameda streets. Restaurant owners firmly opposed this plan as they say the homeless issue is already affecting their business.
Mayor Eric Garcetti stood behind the council's plan and believes in sheltering all who reside on the streets.
“It’s not a choice of bringing homeless people to your neighborhood or not: they’re there,” Garcetti said. “You want to keep them off the street or bring them home. So from Boyle Heights to downtown, to the Westside, to San Fernando Valley, we’re finding those allies and we’re pushing. And as mayor, I won’t accept no.”
If you'll recall, in November of 2016, LA voted on Proposition HHH, a measure to fund permanent housing for the homeless. Although the measure passed, it will take years to approve and build.
LA voters also voted to adopt Measure H, a quarter-cent sales tax that would fund anti-homeless programs.
The motion proposed by Councilmen Mike Bonin and Marqueece Harris-Dawson is asking for the L.A. Homeless Services Authority and a few city departments to be of service and provide comprehensive reports that will lay out the framework for sheltering 100% of the homeless population.
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