Los Angeles Hires New 'Homelessness Coordinator'

Los Angeles has taken steps to address the growth of homelessness among its population, including pursuing a citywide ballot measure to fund the construction of some permanent supportive housing. Though its efforts have been in service of a general strategy adopted in February, until now, there hasn’t existed a mechanism to unify and track them across departments and agencies.

To fill that void, Los Angeles hired its first Homeless Coordinator, Meg Barclay, who began this month. As the "primary point-of-contact for homeless issues," Barclay will oversee the city's implementation of the Comprehensive Homelessness Strategy in coordination with the county. The position is mandated in the plan itself and based out of the City Administrator's Office.

In a short profile of Barclay, LA Downtown News explains:

Some local officials, including [Councilmember] Huizar, in the past talked up the idea of hiring a homelessness “czar” who could have resources and staff to move quickly on any issues. Barclay’s coordinator role is not that, and that is by design — the homelessness strategy requires someone who can bring existing entities together, not sidestep them, said City Administrative Officer Miguel Santana.

Barclay comes most recently from the city’s Economic and Workforce Development Department, and has worked on homelessness issues for more than ten years.

Los Angeles County has taken its own steps to improve conditions for homeless residents, including shifting from a sheriff-based approach to a multidisciplinary, service-oriented engagement strategy.