December 12, 2022 (Los Angeles, CA) — The Committee for Greater LA, a cross-sectoral group of civic leaders working to advance system changes and dismantle institutional racism, today released the following statement regarding Mayor Karen Bass’ plan on homelessness.
We, the Committee for Greater LA, believe that Mayor Bass’ plan to address homelessness will deliver the urgent and immediate action Angelenos have been calling for.
Our research on homelessness shows that the current system is broken and that across the board, Angelenos demand greater coordination, alignment, and transparency on homelessness.
By declaring a local state of emergency on day one, managing the use of city-owned land, expediting approvals and permits for all affordable housing projects, and addressing the needs of individuals living in encampments, Mayor Bass’ plan sets in motion bold and systemic solutions that match the magnitude of the issue with the fervor we’ve been calling for.
Unprecedented actions, like those in Mayor Bass’s plan, are needed to significantly improve the lives of people experiencing homelessness and to remove the barriers they face in securing housing.
We encourage the mayor and her administration to address structural challenges to building affordable housing through an equity lens that acknowledges the disproportionate impact of homelessness, starting specifically with Black, Indigenous and Immigrant populations. When it comes to people living in encampments, we call for a humane and public health approach rather than one that creates displacement.
Housing is a human right and we look forward to working in concert with Mayor Bass and our community partners to support people experiencing homelessness.
| Miguel A. Santana Chair, of The Committee for Greater LA | Sarah Dusseault Chair of The Housing and Homelessness Action Team of The Committee for Great LA |
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ABOUT THE COMMITTEE FOR GREATER LA:
The Committee for Greater LA assembled civic leaders at the start of the COVID pandemic to prioritize the recovery of LA County’s most marginalized communities. It is a cross-sectoral group of Angelenos who share a vision that our region’s response to the COVID pandemic can advance systems change and dismantle the institutions and policies that have perpetuated institutional racism. Its goal is sweeping systems change to ensure vulnerable and marginalized communities will be better off than they were before the crisis– there is #NoGoingBackLA. For more information, visit nogoingback.la.
Media Contact: Lorena Alamillo
(323) 557-5115 lorena@vpepr.com
