L.A. OKs Sidewalk Sleeping

City officials in Los Angeles have come to a settlement with homeless advocates that will allow anyone to sleep on the sidewalk until the city builds 1,250 affordable housing units, which could take up to five years.

1 minute read

October 12, 2007, 8:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg

"Los Angeles officials announced Wednesday that they were settling a lawsuit with advocates for the homeless over a city law that prohibits people from sleeping on sidewalks."

"The legal settlement involves a 2003 lawsuit brought by skid row residents who complained they were being arrested for sleeping on sidewalks, despite having nowhere else to go. Under the new deal, the homeless can sleep on sidewalks from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. anywhere in the city as long as they do not block access to doorways or driveways or completely block the sidewalk."

"Under the settlement's terms, the city can enforce its overnight sidewalk sleeping ban only if it builds 1,250 units of supportive housing for the homeless, with half those units downtown. City officials said such action was unlikely to take place for at least three to five years."

FULL STORY: L.A., homeless advocates reach deal on sidewalk sleeping

Thursday, October 11, 2007 in The Los Angeles Times

Government / Politics Housing Social / Demographics California

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