The LA Times today reported on a new poll about homelessness in the LA region.  The poll, which surveyed 906 registered voters, showed that most of respondents support the plan and approach of the LA Alliance for Human Rights. 

Top concerns of the respondents were:

• Need for Shelter – respondents prefer a strategy of providing shelter over creating expensive and slow to develop permanent housing to get people quickly off the streets.
• Safety – the presence of homeless encampments and individuals living on the streets makes Angelenos feel less safe and negatively impacts their quality of life.
• Services – nearly thirty percent acknowledged the failure to provide services like, treatment for mental illness.
• Frustration / impatience with elected leaders – 94 percent indicated homelessness is the top issue facing the region and 79 percent said things have gotten worse not better. In addition, 75 percent said homelessness should be the top priority for elected officials. 

The LA Alliance plan calls for shelter, services and treatment, and safe and clean streets and public spaces.  It is a compassionate and reasonable plan that meets the needs of the unhoused and the housed. 

The plan calls for the City to ramp up its ability to create shelter space.  The Alliance’s actions have already resulted in securing 6,000 shelter beds.  For the first time, more than 800 beds now go vacant in LA shelters nightly. 

The Alliance plan also calls on the County to provide treatment and services to those experiencing homelessness.  The LA Times poll indicated that treatment and services are supported by more than half of voters. 

64 percent of respondents support the clearing of encampments as part of a plan of providing shelter and services.  This methodical, step-by-step, block-by-block strategy provides both for the needs of the unhoused and the regulation of public spaces sought by communities. 

The LA Alliance approach uses a lawsuit to demand action from the City and the County of Los Angeles to respond to the homeless crisis.  The Alliance lawsuit call for immediate action free from political influence and bureaucratic obstacles with accountability and oversight provided by the court.  The LA Alliance approach follows the same successful strategy in Orange County that created hundreds of shelter beds, provided treatment and services, and cleaned up the infamous Santa Ana Riverbed encampment. 

You can find out more about the LA Alliance at our website. 

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