“Homelessness is a major crisis affecting our communities at every level, and it’s time for sweeping changes to the system,” Barger said. “This Blue Ribbon Commission will be critical to help the county, in partnership with our 88 cities, identify the reforms and changes needed and to move forward with actions that can finally help our vulnerable residents who are suffering on the streets.”
Supervisors Sheila Kuehl and Holly Mitchell cast the dissenting votes. Kuehl said she agreed with Barger that homelessness is an urgent issue requiring all hands on deck, but couldn’t see what the commission might accomplish.
“There is no silver bullet about homelessness. There is no sudden, new something we haven’t even thought of that is going to come out of this,” Kuehl said. “This, I think, will actually simply take up a lot of time, come up with many of the same recommendations that we’ve heard from the four reports that we’ve done in the last 12 months about LAHSA and homelessness, and then we will be facing the same question about action or lack of action.”
Two weeks ago, Mitchell proposed a new city-county commission to rethink the structure of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority that was shot down by everyone other than Kuehl. Supervisor Janice Hahn said at the time that she didn’t understand how more elected officials “thrown into the mix” was going to solve the problem.
“I’m not convinced that creating another inter-governmental body, made of up elected officials from the city and the county, does anything to move this forward,” Hahn said July 13. “We are already accountable.”
Tuesday, Hahn cast her lot with Barger, saying she was “frustrated enough to try one more thing.”
The commission is designed to end after six months, a point both Barger and Hahn stressed in pressing for it over objections that it would derail momentum in the battle against homelessness.
Previous related story: Supervisor Barger proposes Blue-Ribbon Commission on homelessness
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Thomas says
“We do know that 60% of the homeless have criminal backgrounds; they’re criminals and thugs.”
“When they rob somebody, somebody ought to shoot him.”
The words of Mayor R.Rex Parris.
We can only hope he is not on this commission. Homelessness is a problem, but shooting is not the answer.
Tim Scott says
“Criminal backgrounds” can be generated by rounding them up and charging them with trespassing. The thug there is Wrecks.
William says
I could be wrong but aren’t many veterans homeless? And, not because they are criminals.
I could be wrong but don’t Republicans use veterans to wrap themselves in the flag.? No not the Confederate flag like Trump’s people on 1/6 but the U.S. flag, y’know, the one with 49 stars before Hawaii became a state and Obama was elected.
I could be wrong but shouldn’t the Republicans, who are all about veterans, (Trump put Jared* in charge of the VA) being doing more about homeless veterans.
Even that adulterer like Trump, John Edwards, mentioned homeless vets when he campaigned.
I could be wrong but aren’t Republicans the BIGGEST HYPOCRTIES EVER?
*The first stage of a multibillion-dollar military-VA digital health program championed by Jared Kushner has been riddled with problems so severe they could have led to patient deaths, according to a report obtained by POLITICO.
“Sah prize, suh prize” -Gomer Pyle
Alby says
Most veterans out here that are homeless sauced themselves into oblivion and expect hand outs as if they are protecting this country as they’re propped up against the wall surrounded in bottles.
Tim Scott says
“Go do my dirty work for me so I can benefit from exploiting the rest of the world, then I’ll spit on you for suffering the consequences” – Alby, July 2021
Thankful for veterans says
Alby could not hold a candle to the worst veteran to ever serve. Pathetic comment. Really pathetic.
no says
R. Rex Parris shouldn’t ever be on any commission. He should go live in his fancy new house far from here, he is done enough harm to this valley.
Pabst blue ribbon says
Well established.