Democrat Los Angeles mayor begs rich people to house homeless

In her recent State of the City address, Democrat Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass unveiled a new initiative aimed at addressing the city’s pervasive homelessness crisis, which affects over 40,000 individuals. Highlighting the urgency of the situation, Bass described the crisis as a disaster and underscored the city’s commitment to finding a lasting solution. “We will not hide people but what we will do is house people,” she declared, signaling a shift towards more sustainable housing solutions rather than temporary shelters.

During her speech, Mayor Bass celebrated the achievements of the Inside Safe program, which has successfully transitioned more than 21,000 homeless individuals into temporary accommodations. She emphasized that this approach is not just a temporary fix but a foundational strategy to eradicate homelessness in Los Angeles permanently.

However, the mayor acknowledged the financial hurdles in scaling up these efforts and made a poignant appeal to the city’s wealthiest residents. “Right now, we’re working to move past nightly rentals,” Bass explained. “We are asking the most fortunate Angelenos to participate in this effort, with personal, private sector, and philanthropic funds – to help us acquire more properties, lower the cost of capital and speed up housing.”

This plea is part of a broader capital campaign titled LA4LA, which Bass hopes will galvanize significant support from private and philanthropic sectors to create a robust, community-driven response to the homelessness crisis. “This is the mission of our new capital campaign, LA4LA,” she stated, envisioning it as a transformative partnership that could serve as a model for tackling such crises.

The initiative comes at a critical time as the city grapples with the escalating impacts of homelessness, which have deterred business and compromised public safety, placing a substantial burden on city resources. “I will just not accept this and our city can’t afford to accept it,” Bass firmly added, highlighting the necessity of the new approach.

Despite extensive funding and numerous programs aimed at alleviating homelessness, challenges persist. According to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, the number of homeless individuals in Los Angeles County rose by 9% in 2023, with city-specific figures showing an even steeper increase. This uptick is partly attributed to recent evictions and the cessation of COVID-19 aid, which had previously helped low-income households.

In response to these ongoing challenges, the Los Angeles City Council recently approved a $2.2 million contract for an external firm to audit the city’s homelessness programs, a move initiated at the behest of a federal judge. This audit aims to enhance the effectiveness and accountability of the services provided, amidst growing concerns from local business owners and residents about the city’s handling of the crisis.