Facing winter storms and flooding, the city of Los Angeles is opening public buildings as temporary shelters for the homeless. Mayor Garcetti also has the option of declaring a state of emergency around the 26,000 people without housing.
The El Niño storms predicted for this winter will put many of Los Angeles' teeming homeless population at risk. In response, "City officials on Tuesday approved an expanded campaign to help the homeless this winter by opening public buildings as temporary shelters and allowing people to sleep inside vehicles in designated lots," report Alice Walton and Gale Holland.
Notorious property seizures by city officials are also being scaled back, at least partially. "The City Council also approved what members said were changes to soften a controversial law allowing authorities to seize individuals' property stored on sidewalks and in alleys, though opponents said the new language continues to criminalize homelessness," according to the article.
The scale of the crisis might even warrant an official state of emergency. "Officials said they hope that a state of emergency, which is more often associated with natural disasters such as floods and wildfires, could make the city eligible for additional state and federal funds. But only Mayor Eric Garcetti has the authority to make such a declaration."
FULL STORY: L.A. council declares shelter crisis in effort to help the homeless
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If the Supreme Court hears an appeal of a landmark U.S. Ninth Circuit Court case settled in April, the ruling would have widespread implications for dealing with homeless encampments throughout the West, perhaps nowhere more so than Los Angeles.
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As the city considers new ordinances making it easier for police to break up homeless camps, residents say forced displacement is already underway. Police deny an increase in homeless sweeps.
New All-Affordable Zone Proposed for L.A.’s Skid Row
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Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
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California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
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Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
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