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The newly elected Democratic Mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass recently addressed the city’s impending homelessness crisis. While speaking at the City Council chambers, Mayor Bass pledged to allocate a historic sum of $1.3 billion in the next budget to provide shelter and treatment programs for the unhoused individuals. This budget could potentially be utilized to purchase hotels or motels to convert into housing, and to identify other city-owned properties that could be used for sheltering the homeless.
She said her proposed budget would allocate money for substance abuse treatment beds for homeless individuals but did not specify a fixed amount. She also spoke about her own initiative, called “Inside Safe,” which provides motel rooms and services to homeless individuals, and stated that over 1,000 people have already enrolled in the program.
Additionally, Governor Gavin Newsom has made a promise to provide the city with 500 temporary housing units, while the Biden administration has allocated more than $200 million to address the homelessness issue in the city.
While she believes they have dispelled the myth that homeless individuals do not want to come inside and find shelter, she acknowledged that there is still a lot of work that needs to be done, and that the current state of the city is not where it should be. Despite her positive outlook, it should be noted that there are still significant challenges that lie ahead and could potentially alter her tenure as the mayor.
The city has witnessed years of increasing spending on homeless programs, including a budget of nearly $1 billion in 2021 signed by then-Mayor Eric Garcetti. However, the number of unhoused individuals in Los Angeles has continued to rise. The extent of Mayor Bass’ challenge can be seen in any neighbourhood where homeless people can be found living in encampments or dilapidated RVs, often surrounded by garbage and debris, along roads, under bridges, and near freeway exits.
It is estimated that more than half of the homeless population in the city, which totals over 40,000, struggle with drug or alcohol addiction, while a significant portion suffer from mental illness. Tragically, on average, five people experiencing homelessness die each day in the city. Additionally, one-third of the homeless population is families with children.
According to some economists, there is a possibility of an impending recession that could have a negative impact on the city’s tax revenue. This could potentially become a spoke in the wheel for Mayor Bass’s spending plans with regard to the homeless programs. City Controller Kenneth Mejia’s recent report expressed concerns about other issues such as the need for investment in repairing damaged roads and sidewalks, as well as higher pension costs for retirees which currently consume 15% of the city’s general fund budget. Furthermore, there has been an increase in crime rates, including car thefts and shootings, while staffing levels in the police department have been decreasing.
Mayor Bass, who is the first Black woman to hold the office of LA’s mayor, won the November election by defeating billionaire businessman Rick Caruso. During her campaign, she focused on addressing the issue of homelessness by providing shelters for people, reducing the rising crime rates, and creating affordable housing for working-class families. She was also being considered as a potential running mate for President Joe Biden during his campaign, which highlights her stature as a prominent figure in the Democratic Party.
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