LOS ANGELES – Mayor Karen Bass announced that her Office’s new Inside Safe initiative is underway for people living in encampments near the intersection of West 87th Street and Western Avenue and near the intersection of Culver Boulevard and South Slauson Avenue. People have accepted housing at both sites – first in motel rooms where services and case management leading to permanent supportive housing are offered. Inside Safe was launched through an Executive Directive from Mayor Bass, and is her Office’s new, citywide, proactive housing-led strategy to bring people inside from tents and encampments for good, and to prevent encampments from returning.
Mayor Bass is moving Los Angeles forward with an urgent and strategic approach to addressing the homelessness crisis, which also includes her Emergency Declaration on Homelessness, activating the City’s Emergency Operations Center, and issuing an Executive Directive to dramatically accelerate and lower the cost of affordable and temporary housing.
“Inside Safe is our strategy to bring unhoused Angelenos inside in a sustainable way,” said Mayor Bass. “Yesterday, I visited the site in South Los Angeles and spoke with Angelenos who were living in tents and were happy to move into temporary housing. As we scale up our operation, we are going to be able to house more and more Angelenos, and I look forward to continuing that work.”
“Working under the leadership of the Mayor’s Office in tandem with Homeless Outreach Program Integrated Care System (HOPICS), LA Sanitation, and LADOT, we were able to use a compassionate approach to house people who had been seeking shelter while completely clearing the sidewalk,” said Councilmember Harris-Dawson. “We are excited to get our unhoused neighbors in our district housing near their networks. Together, we housed 25 of our neighbors who eagerly accepted housing, dispelling the myth that homelessness is a choice.”
"I'm proud to partner once again with Mayor Bass to bring much-needed resources to the Culver Boulevard area," said Councilmember Traci Park. "I’ve heard loud and clear how important this was for the local community, and I am so relieved that people living on the streets are going to be offered a safe place indoors.”
The first two Inside Safe sites were launched in Hollywood in partnership with Councilmember Nithya Raman at encampments near Cahuenga and the 101 freeway and in Venice in Partnership with Councilmember Traci Park and housed more than 100 people.
Inside Safe is assessing street homelessness across Los Angeles and proactively engages with people living in tents and encampments based on where people are most in crisis.
Inside Safe supports the following five goals:
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Reduce the loss of life on our streets
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Increase access to mental health and substance abuse treatment for those living in encampments
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Eliminate street encampments
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Promote long-term housing stability for people experiencing homelessness
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Enhance the safety and hygiene of neighborhoods for all residents, businesses, and neighbors
Inside Safe supports the following citywide outcomes:
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Decrease the number and size of encampments across the city
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Decrease the time of moving someone from an encampment into housing
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Increase interim and permanent housing placements
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Increase access to mental health care and substance use treatment for people experiencing homelessness
Read the Inside Safe Executive Directive here.