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Topline:
At its first meeting with five newly-elected council members Tuesday, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously ratified Mayor Karen Bass' emergency declaration concerning homelessness. That allows her to cut through red tape to create temporary and permanent housing for the estimated 42,000 people living on the streets.
Why it matters: City officials, nonprofit organizations, the business community and the public have long been frustrated by the inability to get a handle on the problem. “I think the mayor has brought a new sense of urgency and a new sense of unity and purpose,” Council President Paul Krekorian said.
The declaration will “streamline some things within the city but also will be a cudgel to help leverage the state and the feds,” said Councilman Bob Blumenfield. “Hopefully it will bring coordination and dollars from other levels of government.”
Councilmember Kevin de León was among the yes votes even though he was in a back room at the time. He had left the chamber amid loud protests over his refusal to resign in the wake of the leak of a recording of racist and homophobic comments de León and other council members made.
You can read Bass' declaration here.
Watch: You can watch a recording of the meeting here:
