City and County Leaders Respond To LAT
Both Mayors of the City of Los Angeles and the County of Los Angeles (yes, the county has a mayor too), along with a City Councilmember write letters to the Los Angeles Times in response to the article on the County’s Historic Homeless Plan.
Here are the letters:
__________
Re "L.A. County OKs 'Historic' Homeless Plan," April 5
We heartily applaud the county supervisors' strong 4-1 vote Tuesday to support a comprehensive regional homelessness plan. It involves state-of-the-art services models and is historic in its breadth.
The city is working with supervisors Yvonne Brathwaite Burke and Zev Yaroslavsky on innovative housing with built-in services. But as your Monday editorial ("The authority to solve") pointed out, successful implementation of the county strategy will work only if the city of Los Angeles — which has 58% of the homeless, 48,000 people — and the county work hand in glove.
The city and county combined financial commitment ($100 million from the county, $50 million from the city) is still only one-quarter of New York's homeless budget. Only collaboration will maximize these still-scarce dollars toward this national tragedy.
The reinvigorated L.A. Homeless Services Authority that your editorial envisioned is essential for success of the region's policy. Otherwise, it will prove impossible to mobilize other cities, or actively engage business, labor, religious and philanthropic leaders to build and broaden the moral and financial will to tackle this issue successfully.
ANTONIO R. VILLARAIGOSA
Mayor
Los Angeles
JAN PERRY
City Councilwoman and
Chair of the Ad Hoc
Homeless Committee
__________
Monday's editorial was right that our effort to solve the homelessness problem in Los Angeles County must include the input and approval of the county's other 87 cities and 134 unincorporated areas for locating proposed regional centers — a provision the flawed county plan does not include.
Last week, my office provided $1 million to the Union Station Foundation in Pasadena — a public/private partnership that has engaged the faith-based community, local government and the private sector in locating, operating and expanding its service facility. This facility reflects the cooperation needed for a successful outcome to the homelessness issue and how we must engage our partners in the community, not ignore them.
The county plan is vague on how funds will be spent. Funds for homelessness programs must come from the departments of Health and Mental Health, not Public Safety. The plan fails to mandate treatment for the mentally ill and drug- or alcohol-addicted.
MICHAEL ANTONOVICH
Supervisor, and Mayor
Los Angeles County
posted by LA's Homeless Blog at
8:06 AM
1 Comments:
My name is Glen Fewkes and am Director and COO of Emergency Mobile Sleeping Units, Disaster Relief, Inc. of Bentonville, AR. That said, I am a long-time resident of southern california. I have been a victim of homelessness myself (at an early age) and have a personal desire to help reduce homelessness within LA County.
Our Corporation's president holds a published patent on the Emergency Mobile Sleeping Unit (EMSU) which is designed to provide mobile temporary shelter. Our mission is to help public agencies, employers and volunteer organizations reduce liability risk and productivity loss from human exposure to outdoor conditions while responding to emergencies or working on location.
That said, in wanting to help provide sheltering for the chronically homeless on "skid row" I contacted the Mayor and Deputy Mayor's offices who asked that I contact the Emergency Preparedness Manager for the City of Los Angeles to discuss further. Mr. Stanley was very receptive to my desire to help the city and county initiative to reduce homelessness and me to 9th District Councilwoman Jan Perry to get her thoughts and "backing."
After contacting the Councilwoman's office, I was asked to send a "short synopsis" of how we propose to help in the city/county initiative and in turn I sent the information on December 19, 2005. I was advised on January 20 that Ms. Perry wished that I speak with her Chielf of Staff to discuss further. It is now April and I have not yet heard anything.
My point is...as noted within your blog, homelessness results from shortfalls within community, county, city, and state levels...it is everyone's problem. As someone looking to provide a viable, cost effective solution, I see that solutions are not simply provided overnight! It takes a lot of time and effort just to propose a solution. Continued and better communication of community, county, city and state level needs - and shortfalls - is necessary for a winning solution. If you or anyone is interested in learning more about our solution, please visit www.emsudisasterrelief.com.
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