LA City Councilmember Seeks State Support for Homeless Encampment Removal

Los Angeles City Councilmember Traci Park, representing the 11th District, has requested state assistance in clearing homeless encampments in her district. This comes in the wake of Governor Gavin Newsom’s recent executive order to begin forced removal of homeless tents across California.

Park, whose district includes West LA, Pacific Palisades, and Venice, welcomed the governor’s initiative to address homeless encampments. She expressed eagerness to start the process immediately, emphasizing the importance of state resources in these efforts.

The councilmember announced via social media that she is preparing a letter to the California state government. In this letter, she plans to request that the state and the 11th District jointly identify homeless encampment locations and provide additional resources for their removal. Park mentioned she has already identified encampments along Pacific Coast Highway in the Pacific Palisades area.

This move follows similar actions in San Francisco, where Mayor London Breed recently began clearing homeless tents in areas like the Tenderloin, which has been plagued by homelessness and drug issues.

Breed, facing reelection challenges due to the worsening homeless crisis, has implemented aggressive policies. These include offering free bus, train, and plane tickets to homeless individuals to return to their places of origin, noting that 40% of San Francisco’s homeless population is not from the city.

San Francisco estimates its homeless population at 8,300, with half living on streets and in parks. The city faces a severe shortage of shelters, leading Breed to instruct staff to encourage homeless individuals to relocate before providing shelter. This approach has drawn criticism from homeless advocacy groups.

In contrast, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and the LA County Board of Supervisors have stated they will not forcibly remove tents or penalize homelessness without providing shelter alternatives.

The differing approaches highlight the complex challenges cities face in addressing homelessness, balancing immediate action with long-term solutions and humanitarian concerns.