Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
Mayor Garcetti Says City To Provide Over 2,400 Hotel Rooms And 300 Trailers For At-Risk Homeless Angelenos
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti began his daily update by mourning 40 new deaths today in L.A., bringing the total lives lost in the city to 495, a 9% increase since yesterday. The mortality rate in L.A. County now stands at 4.3%. That's 43 times higher than the mortality rate of the seasonal flu (.1%), though as newer tests come online to get a better assessment of milder and asymptomatic cases, that rate is widely expected to change.
Garcetti strongly urged Angelenos to continue to stay at home this weekend.
"COVID-19 doesn't care how nice the weather is," he said.
Support for LAist comes from
THE NUMBERS
- L.A. now has 1,551 general emergency hospital beds available, and 1,119 available ventilators
- The city now has 30 testing sites, compared to 19 last week
- About 67,000 Angelenos have been tested, with a capacity to test 12,000 people a day. The mayor urged everyone with symptoms to get a free test.
- Only about 45% of Angelenos currently still have their jobs, according to the USC Dornsife Center for Economic and Social research. In March that number was 61%.
JOBS/HOUSING
- An L.A. jobs site is currently being updated daily, with available positions in critical businesses like grocery stores and food delivery companies. Visit lajobsportal.org for more info.
- The city is extending all housing department deadlines that are related to finding affordable and supportive housing.
- The mayor emphasized the city's response to helping the homeless population locally. L.A. is providing porta-potties, hand-washing stations and testing for the homeless, he said.
- The city will also be deploying on-the-street medical teams to provide rapid response to the homeless population. Those teams will help unhoused people find hotel rooms and/or shelters, he said.
- Tonight the city is launching its first trailer program, which will be used to house homeless Angelenos who are high-risk and asymptomatic (over 65 and/or have chronic medical conditions). The trailers were given to the city by the state. The goal is to provide 300 trailers city-wide.
- 2,400 hotel and motel rooms are now available for these asymptomatic, high-risk Angelenos. However, our reporting found that most of these rooms are still empty.
- For those who are already sick, the city is currently negotiating with over 24 additional hotels. FEMA is reimbursing the city for many of those rooms.
- The mayor urged hotel and motel owners to reach out to join the effort here.
MORE UPDATES
- The city is opening a medical relief center at the Los Angeles Convention Center. It will now serve patients and free up hospital beds. The center has an initial 175 beds for patients who do not have COVID-19. "We pray for these beds to go unused," the mayor said.
- Dr. Lydia Lam of L.A. County and USC Hospital will be the chief medical officer of the relief center at the convention center.
- Over 454,176 applications were submitted for "Angeleno Cards," no-fee debit cards that will provide direct financial assistance to "the hardest hit families in our city," Garcetti said.
This Sunday, the mayor will give his annual State of the City address.
"I want you to draw on the power that you have to not feel powerless or lonely at home, but to feel powerful as part of this city of angels," he said, before taking questions.
This post is being updated live so feel free to re-fresh or come back for the latest.
Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity. -
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
-
The drug dealer, the last of five defendants to plead guilty to federal charges linked to the 'Friends' actor’s death, will face a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison.
-
The weather’s been a little different lately, with humidity, isolated rain and wind gusts throughout much of Southern California. What’s causing the late-summer bout of gray?
Best of LAist