Statement by Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas Supporting Los Angeles County Amicus Brief to Overturn Martin v. Boise
The C3 Skid Row Outreach team works to house homeless in skidrow neighborhood. ( Mayra Vasquez / Los Angeles County )
“Los Angeles County is building an unprecedented safety net. Just this year, we are investing $460 million on a range of solutions, including more than 700 street outreach workers who connect individuals to interim and permanent housing with a range of intensive supportive services.
“But for every 133 people we house every day with Measure H, 150 more people end up on the streets. Tragically, two to three of them die there every day. Incredibly, that’s double our homicide rate.
“I’m simply fed up. The status quo is untenable. We need to call this what it is – a state of emergency – and refuse to resign ourselves to a reality where people are allowed to live in places not fit for human habitation. I refuse to accept this as our new normal.”
