Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda L. Solis, Supervisor to the First District, released the following statement after the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved her motion on a continued shelter crisis declaration in the County:
“Given the complexity and magnitude of the homelessness crisis and the limited supply of affordable permanent housing in the County, there continues to be a significant and immediate need for interim housing in the County, including emergency shelter, to protect the life, health, and safety of people experiencing homelessness. In the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic, our unsheltered residents face a wide range of additional threats related to their limited ability to self-isolate and lack of access to hygiene facilities. Today’s motion is appropriate and necessary to address and mitigate the continuing shelter crisis in the County.”
Under Government Code Section 8698 et seq., the Board may find that a significant number of persons in the County are without the ability to obtain shelter, which results in a threat to their health and safety. In making such a finding, the Board may then declare that a shelter crisis exists. Upon the declaration of a shelter crisis, the County is empowered to take steps to mitigate the crisis. In particular, the County may designate its public facilities to be used as homeless shelters during the crisis, which would mitigate the emergency.
On October 30, 2018, the Board declared the existence of a shelter crisis within the County for a one-year period from October 30, 2018 through October 29, 2019. On October 29, 2019 and October 13, 2020, the Board extended the shelter crisis declaration for the County for additional one-year periods from October 30, 2019 through October 31, 2020 and November 1, 2020 through November 1, 2021.
The motion approved today will declare that a shelter crisis continues to be in effect in the County. The declaration provides that the shelter crisis is extended for an additional year, from November 2, 2021 through November 1, 2022.
To view the full motion, click here.