LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced today that more unhoused Angelenos were brought inside with supportive services through an Inside Safe response effort in South Los Angeles near Avalon Boulevard and East Vernon Avenue. Inside Safe response efforts are carried out by a dedicated portion of the Field Intervention Team, building relationships with unhoused Angelenos who come to past Inside Safe operation sites and housing them with supportive services. The Response Team monitors all previous Inside Safe locations.
“We are committed to working to ensure that unhoused Angelenos have a safe and stable place to call home with supportive services,” said Mayor Karen Bass. “Working with our partners delivers Angelenos experiencing homelessness the resources they need. Together we can work toward a city where no one experiences the tragedy and indignity of homelessness.”
“Many individuals, including seniors, those facing serious health challenges, and people battling substance abuse, reside along this stretch, which has been an ongoing concern in Council District 9,” said Councilmember Curren Price. “We are deeply grateful to Mayor Bass for recognizing the urgent need for increased outreach and attention in this area. Together, we remain committed to ensuring our unhoused neighbors receive the critical support they need.”
This effort was in partnership with the Crisis and Incident Response through Community-led Engagement (CIRCLE) program. CIRCLE is a 24/7 proven unarmed response program that deploys a team of mental health professionals and individuals with lived experience to address non-violent LAPD calls related to unhoused individuals experiencing crisis.
In June, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) announced the results of the 2024 Homeless Point-In-Time Count, which showed a decline in homelessness in the City of Los Angeles for the first time in six years and historic reductions in street homelessness. The 2024 count results saw a 17% increase in the number of people moved off the streets.
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.
In 2023, tent encampments came down in every council district, and thousands more Angelenos came inside than in 2022 thanks to action locking arms with the City Council, County and LAHSA. The Mayor has worked to improve services provided for unhoused Angelenos coming inside and has also been vocal about the need to make homelessness programs more cost effective as this urgent work continues.