Mayor Bass, City Councilmembers Issue Statement on LA Continuum of Care Board Meeting Breakdown Due to Lack of Preparedness for Public Input

En Español

한국어

LOS ANGELES - Mayor Karen Bass, Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Councilmember Ysabel Jurado, Councilmember Tim McOsker, and Councilmember Imelda Padilla today issued the following joint statement after the Los Angeles Continuum of Care (LA CoC) General Board abruptly ended its meeting and delayed their vote on giving LA County sole authority over the homelessness system, dismissing the City's request for collaborative governance:

"Let's set the record straight: the City of Los Angeles provides the overwhelming majority of housing for the region. Although LA City funds hundreds of millions for housing, the County decides who gets placed in it, putting people from surrounding cities in beds funded by LA City taxpayers. TheCity must be able to help the people on our own streets by placing them into the housing that we build and fund in order to solve the homelessness crisis.

"Today's meeting broke down just two minutes after it began because the Board did not plan adequately for a large audience. Angelenos want a voice in the future of homelessness services, and they were silenced today. The current proposal for County-only administration, recommended by the LA CoC Board, leaves no room for those voices to be heard. Without collaboration and transparency, management of this complex issue will continue to falter, and worse, our unhoused neighbors will continue to suffer.

"The LA CoC will set a new meeting date and time. We thank all Angelenos who attended today's meeting and encourage all of our stakeholders, whether you are a resident, business owner, advocate, or provider, to attend the rescheduled meeting."