LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass today announced an Inside Safe operation near the intersection of West 18th Street and Hope Street in partnership with Councilmember Kevin de León. More than 20 Angelenos, including three children under the age of 8 years old, were brought off of the street and into housing during yesterday’s operation. Click here for photos and b-roll. Earlier this month, Mayor Bass announced Inside Safe operations in Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley. This latest operation in Downtown L.A. furthers Mayor Bass’ efforts to address encampments of all sizes and throughout all 15 Council districts.
“Living and dying on the streets of Los Angeles is unacceptable,” said Mayor Karen Bass. “Yesterday, families and children younger than 8 years old came inside to start a new chapter of their life. We must continue to act urgently with this comprehensive strategy to bring more of our most vulnerable Angelenos Inside.”
“The success of yesterday’s Inside Safe housing operation underscores the power of collaboration,” said Councilmember Kevin de León. “I'm incredibly proud of the teamwork between Mayor Bass’s Inside Safe Team and my own. Last night, dozens of Angelenos were off the streets and sleeping indoors with the dignity and respect they deserve. I want to thank Mayor Bass for her unflinching commitment to addressing the homelessness crisis with compassion and urgency.”
Since her first day in office when she declared an unprecedented emergency on the homelessness crisis, Mayor Karen Bass has driven change in how we address homelessness with new initiatives to bring people living in encampments inside. She has also worked to prevent people from losing their homes and to lock arms across all levels of government to move people inside and save lives and restore neighborhoods.
Key results from the 2024 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count:
Homelessness in the City of Los Angeles is down for the first time in six years
Unprecedented drop in street homelessness (10% decrease in the City of Los Angeles – the first double digit decrease in the last at least 9 years)
A decrease in makeshift shelters (38% decrease in the City of Los Angeles).
The number of people who moved into permanent housing is at an all time high.