L.A. County will boost services under agreement to settle federal homelessness lawsuit

Back in April, the city of Los Angeles agreed to settle a sprawling federal lawsuit over the treatment of homeless people, promising to build potentially thousands of new beds and housing units. Along with Mitchell, other elected officials appearing at a news conference Monday, including Mayor Eric Garcetti, City Council President Nury Martinez and Councilman Kevin de León, said the agreement served everyone’s needs — a marked contrast from the harsh words some from the city and county had for each other months earlier. So this has been an opportunity to address this.” De León, whose district includes skid row, called the deal a good start, though he added: “Three hundred beds is not enough.” In May 2020, Carter ordered the city and county to find shelter for the thousands of people living near freeway overpasses, underpasses and ramps. As part of the deal involving the people living near freeways, the county said it would pay between $50 million and $60 million annually for five years to fund services at interim housing facilities that include tiny homes and hotel rooms rented for homeless people. The latest settlement essentially mimics that deal’s arrangement, in which the city builds or secures shelter and housing and the county pays for services for the homeless people who move in.