“The region is in crisis, but the system serving persons experiencing homelessness is not set up to operate in crisis mode,” according to the report from the Blue Ribbon Commission on Homelessness, which was established by the county last year to perform a comprehensive review of the homelessness issue and the system of responding to it.
The report lists a series of concerns, most notably the lack of an authoritative regional agency charged with responding to the issue.
“The voices of the system lamented that key government entities and service providers too often operate in silos rather than as an integrated network,” according to the report. “There is role confusion among these entities, and as a result, they are hampered in supporting people experiencing homelessness.”
While the report’s authors credited the quasi-city-county Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority for some successes — particularly during the COVID- 19 pandemic — they lamented that it operates with limited abilities that hamper what it can accomplish.
“Its decision-making authority is limited by design, with little or no authority over funding, prevention, housing acquisition, substance abuse and mental health treatment, among other issues,” according to the report. “We refer to this as the LAHSA `conundrum.’ The conundrum has led many to falsely rely on LAHSA, creating a great deal of consternation for stakeholders.”
The report also cites a lack of “vital infrastructure.”
“While many county and city departments touch homelessness, none are dedicated exclusively to serving people experiencing homelessness nor able to cut across silos to provide leadership across agencies,” according to the document. “… These factors, coupled with a web of sometimes inconsistent and poorly communicated policies and practices, leave LAHSA, service providers, community groups, other cities in the region and other stakeholders feeling devalued, unheard and frustrated.”
The report recommends that the county create a central entity “with responsible charge, accountability and authority over homelessness.”
It also recommends a reimagining of the leadership of the “continuum of care” overseeing the issue regionally and arming LAHSA with specific decision-making authority.
“Now is the time to reject the status quo and bring new life, new ideas, and new partners into the arena to support those that work to improve our system every day,” according to the report.
County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who co-authored the motion creating the blue-ribbon commission, hailed the panel’s work, noting Wednesday that “what we’re doing in L.A. County is failing.”
“Our rising homeless count numbers prove that,” Barger said in a statement. “The tents that line our streets prove that. Thousands of individuals in distress prove that. We have more than a hundred public, community-based, faith-based and non-profit organizations dedicated to providing services to people experiencing homelessness, and millions of Measure H dollars in our coffers to fund the work, but our region continues to fall short.”
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Fucbumz says
A bum tries to rob me Dey gonna catch some smoke!
Stinger says
Gee. It’s awful nice of you to share your smoke with the homeless…
Fucbumz says
Yup!
I don’t know why deez bums just go home like Maxine waters said…
Happiness is a warm says
At least they’re not following Rex’s lead and suggesting that people carry guns illegally and shoot the homeless if they try to rob you.
America's Most Unwilling to Give It Up says
Just curious. I never agree with Wrecks, but what are you supposed to do if anyone tries rob you?
Smile and give it up? Resist and get killed? Move to Scottsdale? None of these seem desirable.
Tim Scott says
The issue really is more in the “tries to rob you.” Wrecks is feeding that into a world full of cretins that take someone asking them for change as “robbers.”
As to what to do if someone legit tries to rob you (which is basically about as likely as getting struck by lightning) it depends on the location and the effort they are putting into it. If they have made the effort required to seriously get the drop on you and they have all the advantage, then yeah, give them what they want while getting as much information as you can. Memorize their face not only to your eye but in the form of a description you can use later when looking for them. Observe where they go for as long as you can after.
King of Deflection says
Exactly right Tim. This was classic Rex looking for a scapegoat for his failed policies. He took a million from the county for the shelter and then closed the shelter down. Instead of opening a shelter with 700 beds and services, he gave a no bid contract to his pal for less than 200 beds that you pay for. So he needs a boogieman and he is making the homeless his bad guys. I have been approached by dozens and dozens of homeless and never been robbed or assaulted. Can it happen? Has it happened? Sure. But it is the exception, not the rule. If someone wants to rob me, they can have whatever I have on me. Would I try to defend myself? If attacked, yes. But it is rare that would happen. Besides pepper spray does the trick just fine.
America's Most Unvirtuous Signaler says
” If someone wants to rob me, they can have whatever I have on me.”
What has happened to American spine? Would you be proud to be controlled and taken by a criminal? Are you woke? Can we meet for lunch?
King of Deflection says
My life, my family, and my friends are far more valuable than anything in my wallet or anything of ‘value’ on my person. All of that is replaceable. Sure I would defend myself if things turned violent. But I would try to diffuse that. If in the highly unlikely event I was ‘robbed’ by a homeless person, I would file a police report. Thanks for the lunch invitation, but I’ll pass. I don’t have much in common with followers of Rex.
Epic Failure says
It was never about self defense with Wrecks. It was always about making the homeless out as bogeymen so people would have their attention turned from the mess that Lancaster has become under his reign. Crime, bad roads, insider deals, lawsuits, homelessness, panhandling, and large run down sections of the cities is the Wrecks legacy.
Alby says
You might as well walk around in public face down, a$$ up. Make it more ergonomically efficient for them to avoid carpal tunnel.
Rob says
This is like everything else the government tries to fix. It just keeps getting worse.