Time and again, we’ve been shown that equity matters. This past summer, in response to the tragic death of George Floyd, millions took to the streets demanding a change in how public safety is handled, specifically within communities of color. In an effort to reimagine a more equitable Los Angeles, the Council proposed a $150 million reduction to the 2020-2021 LAPD budget, and approved $88 million to be allocated towards reinvesting in underserved and disadvantaged communities.
“We have an obligation to reinvest these funds in specific programs that reflect the future we want to see in Los Angeles” said Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas. “Reimagining a Los Angeles that’s responsive to this call for greater equity, inherently means investing in a framework that prioritizes ending homelessness.”
As part of this effort, CD10 has been ramping up efforts to address homelessness and housing insecurity within the district. Soon the Councilmember will be partnering with the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, in collaboration with Asian Americans Advancing Justice to provide targeted eviction defense services to residents living in parts of the district with high rates of poverty and eviction.
“There is no challenge that this City faces that illustrates the deep inequities that plague our system than our homelessness crisis. We must seize the opportunity to operationalize a ‘Right to Housing’ framework—one that requires government to act, to help residents up when they are down, and to prevent them from falling down in the first place,” said Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas.
Earlier this month, Bring California Home released a poll showing that more than 61% of voters believed that just as they have a right to vote and a right to an education, all Californians should have a right to housing.
Visit stayhousedla.org to learn more.