California Construction News staff writer
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has signed an executive directive, launching Inside Safe, a housing strategy to “bring people inside from tents and encampments for good, and to prevent encampments from returning.”
“We are shifting the way the city approaches homelessness, and the Inside Safe initiative represents a change in how we help and house people living in tents and encampments,” Bass said in.a statement before Christmas. “People should not be left to live and die on the streets because the city isn’t giving them someplace to go. We are giving people safe places to move inside, and we will ensure people can stay inside and safe for good.”
The goal is to provide immediate quality housing and a commitment of services and permanent housing.
“This effort is dependent on collaboration between the City and County of Los Angeles and our social service providers,” the mayor said.
Inside Safe will support the following five goals:
- Reduce the loss of life on streets
- Increase access to mental health and substance abuse treatment for those living in encampments
- Eliminate street encampments
- Promote long-term housing stability for people experiencing homelessness
- Enhance the safety and hygiene of neighborhoods for all residents, businesses, and neighbors
City staff will set identify the highest need encampments across the city, interim and permanent housing for each person in encampments and create a unit acquisition strategy, including master leasing for both interim and permanent housing options
The mayor has requested a report related to the Inside Safe Action Plan by March 31, 2023.
