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Inside Safe

Mayor Bass is moving Los Angeles forward with an urgent and strategic approach to confronting the homelessness crisis, which includes declaring a state of emergency, taking action to dramatically accelerate and lower the cost of building affordable and temporary housing, and moving to maximize the use of City-owned property for temporary and permanent housing.

In order to immediately begin bringing Angelenos off the street, Mayor Bass launched Inside Safe – a bold city-wide, voluntary, proactive housing-led strategy to bring people inside from tents and encampments, and to prevent encampments from returning. Some of the encampments that have been addressed have existed in neighborhoods for years. Inside Safe operations are completed in collaboration with members of the Los Angeles City Council, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, and a wide array of service providers. It is one feature in a comprehensive strategy to confront the homelessness crisis that in the first year of the Bass administration, brought more than 21,000 Angelenos inside.

In Their Own Words

Hear from Angelenos personally impacted by Inside Safe

Kevin used to sleep on the streets in the Valley.

Syed used to sleep on the streets near Koreatown.

Marquisha used to live on the streets in South Los Angeles.

Jim Henderson, Co-owner of Amoeba Music.

Sean is a local business owner near Forest Lawn Drive.

Valerie used to sleep on the streets in Westlake.

Inside Safe By the Numbers

Inside Safe is one component of a comprehensive strategy that brought more than 21,000 Angelenos inside during the Mayor’s first year in office. 

3254

Part of the More Than 21,000 People
Who Have Moved Indoors Since December 12, 2022

741

Part of the More Than 5,000 People
Who Have Moved Into Permanent Housing Since December 12, 2022

67

15

In the News

One of LA's most notorious homeless encampments cleared under 405 Freeway
abc7.com
Virgil Middle School encampment cleared in LA's latest homelessness operation
foxla.com
Bass’ Inside Safe program quickly moves almost 100 homeless off Venice streets
dailynews.com
LA Mayor Karen Bass tackles homeless crisis with "Inside Safe" program
cbsnews.com
Inside Safe is Delivering Real Results
twitter.com/MayorOfLA
100 unhoused people moved into shelter following K-Town encampment clearing
Ktla.com

How Inside Safe Works

The Mayor’s Field Intervention Team (FIT), a multidisciplinary team with backgrounds in lived-experience of homelessness, policy, public health, community advocacy, and substance-use recovery, begins engagement with people experiencing homelessness at the designated encampment after a location is assessed for an operation. Some of the encampments that have been serviced have existed in neighborhoods for more than five years.

The FIT team gains insight into the stories and needs of the unsheltered Angelenos living at the encampment. Inside Safe locks arms with other outreach teams, including USC Street Medicine and service providers, to acquire the most holistic understanding of those living in encampments.

The Mayor’s Office, City and County partners, and a nonprofit service provider unite to move people experiencing homelessness from the encampment to designated interim housing locations. Among the collection of City partners present, LASAN is on site to collect debris and return sidewalks to their original purpose, and LADOT transports people experiencing homelessness to their new interim housing unit. The Department of Mental Health is one of the County entities present to provide guidance and treatment when necessary. We lock arms with LAHSA at each operation for shelter and data assistance. Unsheltered Angelenos from the encampment receive a private interim housing unit, usually in the form of a motel room, while they work toward the ultimate goal of permanent housing. Each Inside Safe site is overseen by a nonprofit service provider that administers comprehensive case management, housing navigation, and meals.

Hundreds of Inside Safe participants have been housed in life-saving permanent housing.

Reaching Every Part of Los Angeles