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Mayor Bass Appointed to LA Homelessness Commission
Mayor Karen Bass gives her first State of the City address in the Los Angeles City Council chambers on Monday, April 17, 2023
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Topline:
The L.A. city council on Tuesday unanimously confirmed Mayor Karen Bass’ appointment to the Los Angeles Homeless Service Authority, or LAHSA. She is the first L.A. mayor to serve on the commission, according to a spokesperson for Bass.
Why it matters: The position helps oversee hundreds of millions in homelessness spending in the city of L.A. and the rest of the county. LAHSA is a joint city-county agency responsible for shelters, services and other systems that place unhoused people in housing in the Los Angeles area.
The mayor’s top homelessness advisor, Mercedes Marquez, says Bass’ appointment will strengthen the city’s partnership with the county to help unhoused communities.
“There are many, many things now that county staff and city staff, particularly the mayor's staff are now working on together ensuring documents that, from everything I understand, have been unprecedented. So we expect that to continue,” Marquez said at Tuesday’s city council meeting.
What Bass says: In a letter appointing herself to the commission, Bass said: “In order to further confront the number one crisis facing our city, I am appointing myself to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority Commission for the term ending June 30, 2026. The City and County, together, declared a state of emergency. The City and County, together, are implementing strategies to bring unhoused Angelenos inside from encampments. Now, together, we will continue to directly address this issue with locked arms.”
What’s next: Bass joins L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, who chairs the LAHSA Commission. The next commission meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Oct. 27.
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The background: Bass has taken on homelessness as her main concern, with her Inside Safe program bringing 1,600 people into motels and hotels. But she’s run into challenges finding long-term solutions. Only about 1% of people in the program have been able to find permanent supportive housing.
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